Suspended party closes its office

Senior officials of the suspended Fiji Labour Party are refusing to say what they will do following the suspension of the party.

All they have said is that the party office is closed from today as they cannot function as a party.

The party was temporarily suspended for its failure to comply with the Political Parties Decree.

The suspended party was required to submit a payment of $6375.60 to the Registrar of Political Parties for the cost of the publication of its declaration of assets and liabilities, due on July 15th, but failed to do so.

Registrar of Political Parties Mohammed Saneem said the financial responsibilities of the political parties and possible repercussions set out in the decree have been clear all along.

He said SODELPA and the National Federation Party met the payment deadline however the suspended FLP failed to do this.

The suspended party now has 60 days to pay or face deregistration as a political party.

During this period of suspension, the party cannot operate, function, represent or hold itself out to be a political party.

When Fijivillage questioned one of the senior officials if they would make the payment, the official said that they are awaiting the Commerce Commission’s determination on their complaint about the way the party was charged for the publication costs.
 
Leader of the now suspended Fiji Labour Party Mahendra Chaudhry is currently overseas and we are still trying to speak to him on the suspension.

Meanwhile, the Registrar’s office confirmed that the payment is yet to be made by the suspended party.


Story by: Vijay Narayan