Criticism in Fiji of regime double standards over polls

Transcript

There's mounting criticism from Fiji's political parties that double standards are at play in the run up to the election.

They're calling for the resignation of the Minister for Elections, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, following news he is an office bearer in the regime-backed Fiji First Party.

Sally Round reports.

The calls come following Fiji First's application for registration lodged this week with the Registrar of Political Parties. Details have been sketchy so far about the party which the Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama hopes to lead into power at the September polls. But he revealed more on Monday.

FRANK BAINIMARAMA: Mr Vimlesh Kumar, an accountant and affiliate member of CPA Australia is listed as the Treasurer, and the Attorney General of course, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum is listed as the Secretary-General.

That role for Mr Sayed-Khaiyum has drawn the ire of politicians like Labour leader Mahendra Chaudhry who says he should step down as elections minister immediately.

MAHENDRA CHAUDHRY:'There's a clear case of conflict now and if he continues in that office that will be abuse of office and there must be complete transparency insofar as the conduct of elections are concerned, in fact he should have resigned yesterday.

The former union leader Felix Anthony, who's now the leader of the People's Democratic Party, says it's a clear case of double standards. He says the political party rules have forced him to resign from the Fiji Trades Union Congress in order to join the PDP. Mr Anthony says he'll take up the issue with the Electoral Commission which he says has so far failed to look into alleged illegal election campaigning by the Prime Minister.

FELIX ANTHONY: The Electoral Commission has been absolutely silent on this matter. There is no attempt, no attempt to try and address this matter and give the people of Fiji some confidence that these elections will indeed be free and fair.

The National Federation Party also says Mr Sayed-Khaiyum should step down, saying it's a basic principle of declaring his interests in laying the groundwork for the elections. But the regime says the constitution does not require ministers to relinquish their posts if they join a political party. The document brought in by the regime last year does not class ministers as public office holders. There has, though, already been a surprise resignation from another office bearer in Fiji First. The former senator, Bijai Prasad, who resigned on Thursday says it was only right to step down after revelations he was convicted of a crime in the 1980's and served time in prison. Earlier he defended Mr Sayed-Khaiyum's appointment saying it came after the election process was put into action.

BIJAI PRASAD: Out here everything is open to scrutiny, everything he has done is publicised, people have access so I don't think there can be any risk of rigging or any foul play.

Mr Prasad says Fiji First will be subject to the same strict criteria other parties have had to go through.

BIJAI PRASAD: That's applied across the board, even when we went for registration yesterday I had to declare all my personal assets, my marital status, so it's for everybody, not for a selected few.

Under Fiji's rules for political parties, Fiji First's application now has to be published in the media and people have the right to object if the details aren't in order.