I’m doing my job according to the law – Acting SOE

Acting Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa says she is doing her job according to the law after deciding that the FijiFirst Party, New Generation Party, We Unite Fiji Party and All People’s Party be suspended for 30 days for contravening Section 26(2) of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding & Disclosures) Act.

When asked on whether she is aware of a letter written by the FijiFirst (In Suspension) General Secretary, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum claiming her decision is biased and they were not afforded due process and natural justice, Mataiciwa says she has not received any correspondence in relation to this matter.

Mataiciwa says Section 26(2) of the Act requires all parties to provide to the Registrar, within 3 months after the end of each financial year, the record of accounts of its income, expenditure, assets and liabilities audited by an auditor certified by the Fiji Institute of Accountants.

She says all political parties were given a one-month extension to submit all accounts and other disclosures by 29th April 2023.

However, until today, the four parties have not complied with these requirements.

The Acting Supervisor of Elections says the parties are suspended for 30 days and have 60 days to remedy the breach/contravention or face deregistration as a political party.

She has written to the Speaker of Parliament, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu regarding the Members of Parliament who are part of the FijiFirst that are suspended.

She says there are different provisions that are currently in the Political Parties Act but at the end of the day, it will be the Speaker that has the final say.

Mataiciwa adds there are two provisions in the Political Parties Act – Section 27 (6) states that a person who is a member of a political party that has been suspended and is a Member of Parliament shall continue as a MP for the unexpired term and Section 20 (2) states that where a political party that has been deregistered, had representatives elected to parliament, such representatives shall continue to serve for the remainder of their term as independents or as members of other political parties.