Unity Fiji Leader Savenaca Narube at the Constitutional Review Commission this afternoon. [Picture: Mollyn Nakabea]
The Unity Fiji Party has proposed a closure to the de-registered party ‘loophole’
Presenting their proposals to the Constitution Review Commission, Unity Fiji Leader Savenaca Narube says the constitution and the electoral acts should be reviewed to clarify the status of MPs whose parties are de-registered.
“Under the electoral proportional system, section 63 (1) requires all sitting MPs of the party that is de-registered to automatically lose their seats. But when Fiji First was de-registered, its MPs should have automatically lost their seats.”
Narube said that this was not the case when the Fiji First party was deregistered.
“When Fiji First was de-registered, its MPs should have automatically lost their seats. Instead, the government invoked a section of the electoral act for them to stay as independents. Many of them took maximum advantage and joined the government as ministers, a clear unfairness that your Commission must close. ”
In addition, Narube says dual citizens should be allowed to stand for elections after living in the country for two years.
He adds that the country could benefit from the return of overseas Fijians in bringing skills and experience.
