This is the excerpt of the ABC article:
Bainimarama silent on election report
By Pacific correspondent Campbell Cooney
The interim Prime Minister of Fiji has refused to comment on a new joint Fiji-Pacific Forum report that indicates elections can be held in the nation within two years.
Commodore Frank Bainimarama and his ministers have repeatedly said Fiji will not be ready for elections before 2010.
But the review team's report says elections can be held before the end of 2008 if Fiji gets assistance in assessing population figures.
Even without that help it says elections are possible in Fiji before April 2009.
That is nine months earlier than the deadline set by the European Union as a condition for continuing million-dollar aid funding and sugar subsidies.
In March, Australia and New Zealand pledged to help Fiji with the electoral process if it committed to elections before the end of 2009.
Both those governments have welcomed the new report.
It must be pointed out that, the final decision will be made from within Fiji, after the report is studied thoroughly by the Interim administration, as a Fiji Village article reports. It is also highly unlikely that, the Interim Government would be in any position to subscribe to the democratic pimping by these Pacific egalitarians; simply because of their condescending and inaccurate view of Fiji's socio-political landscape.
One factor which could influence Fiji's elections is the issue of election fundraising, which according to a Fiji Live article, which reiterated the need for the Fiji Election Commission to fully use its powers to monitor this load bearing pillar of democracy.
Understandably, Fiji's legislation on political fundraising is not as comprehensive as other nations. This explains how corporate donations is such a force multiplier in the US elections; which a Washington Post article illustrates, using the example of ENRON donations to the campaign of disgraced Republican from Texas, Tom Delay.
This particular loop hole in Fiji's current legislations that allow situations like the donation made by Fiji TV to the SDL party in 2005, which was defended by the current CEO of Fiji TV in a Fiji Times article. Undoubtedly, in Fiji's context of lax legislation these corporate donations are made with some subtle expectations, known as buying favours.
This is the excerpt of the FT article:
Nawari defends TV payment for SDL
Saturday, June 09, 2007
FIJI Television Limited yesterday denied any wrongdoing in paying $1000 for a fundraising dinner organised by the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party in April 2005.
Fiji TV Group chief executive Mesake Nawari said the payment advice in question was removed without his approval and it clearly showed that it had been approved by the company's manager finance and administration.
"The approval was not given by the CEO," he said
"Such an approval was within Mr (Arvind) Datt's limit given his position on the company and, therefore, he had the authority to approve, which is in accordance with the finance policy," he said.
Mr Nawari said business enterprises made decisions to attend such functions regularly and in this instance the decision would have been a reflection of an interest in support of the political process and similar decisions would be made relative to any major political party.
"Fiji TV would see this evening dinner in much the same light as we might for the Fiji Media Council Fame Awards Dinner, a Red Cross Dinner or a FASANOC fundraising dinner," he said.
He said the company was not favouring one political party and it did not gain anything from the dinner, nor was anything expected.
Mr Nawari said they had just introduced its direct to home satellite service in the beginning of April, 2005 Sky Pacific to Fiji and the Pacific region.
"The dinner offered us the opportunity to brief the newly-appointed Minster, the late Dr Ahmed Ali, on the project just as we would with any government minister with a portfolio that required knowledge of activity in the area with which he would be so directly involved," he said.
Citizens Constitutional Forum has a somewhat antipodal view regarding the issue of timing, quoted in Radio NZ article.
This is an excerpt of the Radio NZ article:
CCF says holding general elections in Fiji soon should not be a priority
Posted at 21:37 on 08 June, 2007 UTC
The Citizens Constitutional Forum says holding general elections in Fiji in the shortest possible time should not be the priority.
An independent assessment commissioned by the Joint Forum - Fiji Working Group says elections could be held as early as November next year and the deposed prime minister, Laisenia Qarase, wants them held even earlier.
But the CCF’s executive director, the Rev Akuila Yabaki, says it is far more important that the preparations for the elections are adequate and the process is free and fair overall and that they are held in the shortest possible time.
Radio Legend quotes the Rev Yabaki as saying an inflexible time frame may not be advisable if it ignores current realities such as the political climate.
He says if the recommended time frame is to be adhered to, it should not be an excuse for inadequate election preparations as was the case when early elections were called last year.
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