The Fijian Elections Office has not received any instruction to halt preparations for the upcoming Municipal Elections despite comments by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka that the government is reconsidering whether the polls should proceed in September.
Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa says the Elections Office began preparations earlier this year after Cabinet endorsement and instructions from the Electoral Commission.
Mataiciwa says, as of now, no further directive has been issued to the Elections Office regarding any changes to the planned Municipal Elections.
She says the same process will apply moving forward, and stakeholders will be informed once any official instruction is received from the Electoral Commission.
Her comments come after Rabuka revealed that the government is reviewing its priorities amid current economic pressures, including the Constitution review process, possible electoral law changes, and the timing of the next General Election.
The Prime Minister also acknowledged concerns over the short timeframe between the proposed Municipal Elections and the next national polls.
Despite the uncertainty, the Fijian Elections Office has already started voter registration and other groundwork for the Municipal Elections.
