Members of the Opposition today labelled the new proposed electoral amendments being brought in by the Government as stupid and silly requirements for campaigns and manifestos to punish the Opposition while the Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the Opposition should all stop whinging.
National Federation Party Leader, Professor Biman Prasad says it is highly irresponsible for the Minister for Elections to bring into parliament a bill to amend electoral laws under Parliamentary Standing Order 51, when we are so close to the elections.
He also says this is a government which has continued to empower the Supervisor, and the Supervisor of Elections is almost like a God now.
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He says it is stifling democracy to no end, and he believes it gives powers to the Supervisor to harass candidates, supporters, agents and political parties.
Professor Prasad says this is complete dictatorship for the AG to bring the Bill just before an election is due.
He says some of the things that Sayed-Khaiyum is talking about like practical matters shows how stupid those laws initially were and there has been no attempt in the last 7 to 8 years to change those.
The NFP Leader says this Bill could have been brought in much earlier so that there could have been a proper discussion and consultation.
He also says we already have all kinds of conflicts of interest in this country including the Attorney General who is the Secretary General of the FijiFirst Party, the registered officer of the FijiFirst Party and also the Minister for Elections.
Professor Prasad then says that yes, political parties offer the moon sometimes but it is not for the AG, the Government, the Supervisor of Elections or somebody in the Electoral Commission to ask them to tell them on how they have to do it. He says it is for the people to decide on whether they want to believe it.
The NFP Leader says Sayed-Khaiyum does not want a law change to go to a committee to have more discussion on it, and Professor Prasad called for the Bill to be withdrawn.
Meanwhile SODELPA Leader, Viliame Gavoka says the elections will happen very soon and this is not the time to be changing or making new rules.
Gavoka asks where in the world do you have to cost your manifesto in order to campaign, and these are silly requirements.
While replying on the motion to debate the Bill on Thursday without delay, Sayed-Khaiyum says generally, Professor Prasad’s fluster situation stems from when he knows he is not doing really well with the members of the public and he tries to come and vent it out in parliament.
He says it would appear that Prasad’s objection to this bill is only on section 3 to give the Supervisor the powers to carry out his work.
Sayed-Khaiyum also says if you have a country, that has a historical record where politicians have used ethnicity and false promises to try and win office, laws have to be put in place to ensure that we provide a level playing field.
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He says Ro Filipe Tuisawau is talking about an electoral system that was imposed.
The Attorney General says in the previous elections, NFP got 20 percent of votes but they were not in parliament, but now with 5 to 7 percent votes, NFP is in parliament.
Sayed-Khaiyum also says Gavoka has joined this chorus of stupid and there is no creative thinking. He says a bit more finesse would have been obtuse perhaps.
He says the Opposition should just present the figures on how they will fund their policies.
Sayed-Khaiyum also says here we have a professor saying this is a dictatorship. He says a dictator is a ruler with total power over one country.
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