30 Aug 2012

Fiji interim government happy with voter registration numbers

6:13 pm on 30 August 2012

Voter registration in Fiji is entering its final days with over 460,000 official registrations recorded.

The interim government had originally set a target of 600,000 for the 60-day period.

After a period of verification and analysis, officials say electronic voting registration will re-open on November 15.

The Fiji elections office has promised Fijians living overseas registration for them will begin in 2013.

However, it has not yet provided any details as to how that will occur, given registration involves thumb prints and photographs.

Fiji's interim Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says he is happy with the registration level, taking into account the difficulties involved.

He says when registration begins again, it will not be conducted on the same scale as has occurred over the last two months.

"Given the way that things operate in Fiji in terms of people having a slower uptake on things the fact that we've achieved 500,000 is a remarkabkle achievement. Following this period we will then have the verification of the data and once the verification is done we will then open up the registration again, but not in the same numbers that we have at the moment."

The Fiji Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.