[Source: FEO/ FB]

Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem has explained to the media what happens to ballot papers that are not suitable for use in the General Election.

Saneem says during the printing process the ballot papers may get smudged, or the top layer might not be of good quality.

He says this wastage has to be then dealt with accordingly as they cannot leave a whole sheet as it is for somebody to misuse it.

[Source: FEO]

Saneem stresses the off-cuts are not available to anybody as it is shredded and becomes unusable.

“We use industrial shredders and we shred the wastage, we shred the off-cuts. When ballot paper is printed, it is printed on a very large sheet, then it has to be cut to size and there is off-cuts left, which are then shredded, and broken pieces are thrown in here and after the election, it will go to pulping, because the company that does pulping in Fiji has one of its directors contesting the election so we cannot engage that company during the election period.

Saneem adds the shredded ballot papers are then stored in a container and sealed in the presence of the Multi-National Observer Group.

[Source: FEO]

He says just like the past two elections, this will be sent to pulping after the election ends.

The Fijian Elections Office has printed 795, 150 ballot papers.

Last night the final batch of ballot papers was transferred from Star Printery to the Fijian Elections Office warehouse at Laucala Beach.