[Source: Parliament of Fiji/ Facebook]

The coalition government will ensure that a thorough awareness is carried out on whatever electoral system is identified for municipal council elections.

Attorney General Siromi Turaga highlighted this while responding to an oral question by opposition MP Parveen Bala on the electoral system to be used in the proposed municipal elections.

Turaga says a working group has been established that will prepare a detailed action plan to conduct municipal council elections.

He says the cabinet endorsed the working group to be chaired by the permanent secretaries for local government, the finance ministry, the solicitor general, the deputy supervisor of elections, and the chief executives from the 13 municipal councils.

“The working group has been tasked with various responsibilities. This includes recommending the most appropriate electoral system to be used for the municipal elections. At this stage, I am unable to inform this august house as to which electoral system will be used, as I would be preempting the work of a working committee.”

Turaga says the current electoral system set out under the 1972 local government act is a block vote method.

He says the working group is in the process of carrying out reviews of the current legislation in place and holding consultations with important stakeholders to identify the most appropriate electoral systems.

Turaga adds that once finalized, the group will table its recommendations to the cabinet.