[Photo: FILE]

Fijians could face barriers to participating in the proposed referendum if authorities fail to provide clear public education and accessible voting locations.

Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission Commissioner Alefina Vuki said people must fully understand the referendum process, the questions they will be asked, and how to cast their votes before making important decisions.

Vuki added that civic education must be a priority to ensure voters are properly informed and understand their rights.

The human rights body believes some people may struggle to reach referendum voting centres due to transport problems.

“For the people to really participate in the referendum, the authorities should be able to provide an environment that will facilitate easy access, and that means providing transportation or placing the referendum in places where the people can easily access their right to participate in a referendum.”

Vuki is encouraging people to make every effort to have their say, stressing the importance of public participation in the referendum.

Centre for Dialogue and Democracy Fiji Executive Director Nilesh Lal highlighted that the December 9 referendum date is not yet legally fixed, as key legal steps must be completed first.

“Well, we’ve said that the referendum date cannot be fixed. The law is very clear. If you look at Section 10 of the Referendum Act, this date can only be fixed in a writ that would be issued by the President of the country. And in the case of a constitutional referendum, the first provisions of Section 160 of the Constitution need to be exhausted.”

This will be the first time Fijians take part in a referendum process, and relevant stakeholders are calling for increased public awareness.