2 Apr 2014

Fiji Coat of Arms not used in PM's party campaign, says AG

7:40 pm on 2 April 2014

Fiji's Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, has rejected claims that the regime leader's proposed Fiji First Party is using the Fiji Coat of Arms.

He says the claims by the United Front for a Democratic Fiji are misleading and may be just to seek publicity.

Despite a decree threatening a jail sentence, Rear Admiral Frank Bainimarama has begun campaigning without first registering a party and presented a bus carrying an emblem, which the UFDF says is also in violation of the law.

Its spokesperson, Mick Beddoes, says according to the law, no person shall use any design which in any way resembles the Coat of Arms.

He says if nobody responsible for upholding the law takes action and stops this, he will lodge another complaint with the police.

The police have acknowledged receipt of the complaint about the campaigning breach.

The Electoral Commission, which is tasked with applying the Electoral Decree, has made no comment.