Fijian Election

UK grant for FEO Visitor Program

December 2, 2022 6:40 am

The Fijian Elections Office Visitor Program received a timely boost with a grant from the British High Commission yesterday.

20 locals and 15 participants from eight South Pacific countries have been selected for the program, which will be held from December 12th to Election Day on December 14th.

In thanking the British government’s assistance, Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem says the group will experience first-hand the processes that go into carrying out the 2022 General Election.

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“We are still of the view that we need to be able to expose more and more Fijians from the ordinary life into the election operations and the election programs that we have in Fiji so that they are able to understand better the electoral process in Fiji.”

British High Commissioner, Doctor Brian Jones says the United Kingdom fully supports the concept of having visitors observe the electoral as it ensures democracy thrives in the country.

“No democracy is perfect, including my own but we do have a passion in the UK for developing and supporting democracy and freedom where it exists. So we’re very happy to support the growth of that tree and we will join you and the Supervisor in sitting under the shade and sharing the fruits when it flourishes.”

Saneem says out of the 20 local participants, 11 are women representing various sectors including religious organizations, civil society groups and community election advocates.

The SOE adds that the regional participants are representatives from election management bodies from the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga, Australia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Timor Leste.