20 Sep 2013

Fiji Government refuses to publish election panel report

3:24 pm on 20 September 2013

The Fiji Government has refused to publish a report by an international panel helping Fiji prepare for democratic elections.

The panel included Carl Dundas, a former director of elections of Jamaica, Melissa Thorpe from the New Zealand elections office and Etienne Clay, a representative of the EU.

They submitted their report to the Minister for Elections, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, who says he will not publish it, as he fears political parties and the media will "politicise" it.

Mr Sayed Khaiyum told the Fiji Sun the elections office must be completely apolitical, and unfortunately, politicians and the media have been politicising it.

The group looked at where funding for the 2014 elections could be effectively spent.

The report is currently being circulated to foreign missions so they can identify the sort of assistance they can provide.