25 Mar 2006

Fiji Labour Party MP attacks his party

10:27 am on 25 March 2006

A senior Fiji Labour Party MP has strongly attacked a writ filed by his party this week seeking a High Court order to delay or postpone the May general election.

Lautoka MP Dr Ganesh Chand has told Radio Legend that the Labour Party is wasting time by taking legal action against the supervisor of elections and the Electoral Commission by claiming that they have not followed provisions of the Electoral Act.

Dr Chand says the supervisor of elections has set the election date in accordance with the constitution and the Electoral Act.

He says the authority for the dissolution of parliament and the date for the election comes from the constitution while the Electoral Act exists only to give effect to the provisions of the constitution.

Dr Chand says the relevant place to raise concerns about the election date should have been parliament but none of the parties raised their concerns when they should have.

He says he does not think the judiciary will interfere with the work of the Elections Office.