News

FEO raises concerns over financial assessment report

November 8, 2021 4:33 pm

The Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem

The Fijian Elections Office is now re-considering its Memorandum of Understanding with International Institute for Democratic and Electoral Assistance.

This comes after the organisation published a report which the FEO says lacks credibility and has used sub-standards means to compile information and content for its findings.

The report titled Political Finance Assessment of Fiji, according to Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem contains numerous errors.

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“It is obvious that the people who compiled the report failed to understand disclosures and the manner in which the law operates around disclosures. Sadly, this report has been compiled based on media reports, and information sourced via google”.

Saneem adds the FEO engaged with International IDEA during the assessment period and responded to all queries, but none of this is reflected in the final publication.

The FEO adds the report is concerning, and has questioned the motive for publishing a document riddled with errors and gross misstatements.

The Fijian Elections Office is in the process of writing to International IDEA to raise concerns about the manner in which the report was compiled.

Saneem claims the report seems to have a political leaning, aimed to discredit Fiji’s laws on financial disclosures by political parties.

Questions have been sent to International IDEA.