July 30, 2012

How we’ll get all in


July 29, 2012 | Filed under: Fiji News | Posted by: newsroom
By Maika Bolatiki

The Electronic Voter Registration (EVR) process will be ongoing till 2014.

This was confirmed to the Fiji Sun on Friday by the Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.

“While eight weeks is the timeframe for EVR, it will not end there as it will continue till 2014,” the Prime Minister said.

He revealed this while attending the opening of the Bainimarama-Vatutoko Primary School at Nubuyanitu village in Navosa.

For the eight weeks, he said the EVR team would try to register as many Fijians as possible and the teams had been deployed to rural and to the maritime zones.

He said one group that would need special attention were the disabled and the disadvantaged and special arrangements had to be done to cater for them.

“This group has the same right as abled people but many times they’re forgotten and my government will make sure they are registered and also have a voice in the election of the new government in 2014,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister said the Commissioners would look into this matter and make arrangements for the registration.

He said next year’s registration would be for those living overseas.

“We haven’t really looked into this but something will be done for Fijians overseas to register for voting in 2014.”

He said as the voting age has been lowered to 18 years those turning 18 next year would also register next and likewise those turning 18 before September 2014.

The Prime Minister said he was glad with the updates of the EVR process and has again urged all Fijians to register to vote.

At the Bainimarama-Vatutoko Primary School an EVR team was there to register voters.

The Prime Minister said Government would bring the EVR team to villages and settlements and visit homes.

He said Fiji was in the middle of a very exciting time in our history as we are undergoing constitutional and electoral reforms that will bring truly democratic institutions and principles to Fiji for the first time.


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