Earlier this year, Commodore Bainimarama reneged on a commitment to hold elections by next March, insisting Fiji must first replace its race-based electoral system.
He has since initiated the political dialogue process that includes all registered political parties and other key stakeholders, ultimately leading to the president’s Political Dialogue Forum.
The interim government hopes the Commonwealth Secretariat and United Nations will respond to Fiji President Ratu Josefa Iloilo’s request to facilitate and chair the PPDF and have it convened before Christmas.
According to the interim PM, the dialogue will remain in session until agreement on arrangements leading to elections is reached.
“The date for the general election depends on the progress made at the PPDF,” Bainimarama told the foreign ministers from Australia, New Zealand and four other Pacific States he met in Suva.
“It is not for the government now to unilaterally set the date for the election. The government will be one of many stakeholders in the PPDF process. “Once there is agreement through the PPDF on changes to the electoral system, thereafter, the timetable for the conduct and holding of the election will be determined by the independent Electoral Commission and the Office of the Supervisor of Elections.”
Electoral Commission Chairman Mohammed Kamal-Ud-Dean Sahu Khan told Fijilive that it would take 12 to 15 months to prepare for elections once the proposed electoral system is in place.
Besides electoral reform, the interim government has proposed that the agenda for the PPDF also include the People’s Charter for Change, Peace and Progress, which it claims has the support of 90 percent support of the voting population.
