Ana Mataiciwa, Acting Supervisor of Elections.

Acting Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa says she is just doing her job according to the law.

Mataiciwa made the comment as she suspended FijiFirst, the All People’s Party, the New Generation Party, and the Unite Fiji Party for 30 days with immediate effect.

The Acting Registrar of Political Parties has suspended these parties for contravening Section 26(2) of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding, and Disclosures) Act, 2013 [“Act”].

The Acting SoE was made aware of a comment by FijiFirst General Secretary, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, who claims that Mataiciwa was biased in suspending FijiFirst.

Acting Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa.

In response, Mataiciwa says she is bound by the rules and responsibilities of the country.

“Just like in any other suspension that has been carried out, this is not the first time that we are doing the suspension; this was done in 2020 and 2021. The notices in the letter have been vetted legally before being sent out. At this stage, the FEO stands by the notice and the letter that has been sent out.”

Mataiciwa says Section 26(2) of the Act requires all parties to provide to the Registrar, within three months after the end of each financial year, the record of accounts of their income, expenditure, assets, and liabilities audited by an auditor certified by the Fiji Institute of Accountants.

She adds that these four parties have not complied with the requirements.

Acting Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa.

She says the parties have 60 days to remedy the breach or contravention or face deregistration.

Mataiciwa says during the period of suspension, the party cannot operate, function, represent itself, or hold itself out as a political party.

The Acting SOE says two other political parties that have failed to submit their list of sources of funds are the Social Democratic Liberal Party and the People’s Alliance.

Mataiciwa reiterates that according to Section 23(4) of the Act, a party that fails to submit its sources of funds is liable to a penalty of $100 for each day the non-compliance continues, and if it remains non-compliant after 30 days, the party must be deregistered.

She says the 30-day period will end on May 29th.

Mataicia is reminding all non-complying parties that failure to submit will result in deregistration.

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