10 May 2007

Fiji NGOs call on former supervisor of elections to disprove allegations

6:51 am on 10 May 2007

Civil society groups is Fiji are calling on the former supervisor of elections, Semesa Karavaki, to disprove the allegations in a special audit report which has led to allegations of vote rigging in the last general election.

The executive director of the Citizens Constitutional Forum, the Rev Akuila Yabaki, has told Radio Legend that they too had conducted a workshop into the 2006 elections and found massive overprinting of ballot papers.

The Rev Yabaki says they have had their doubts since then.

Father Kevin Barr of the Ecumenical Council for Research and Advocacy, which fights for social justice, says Mr Karavaki needs to submit his own evidence on the issue but things are not looking good for the Elections Office.

The Fiji chapter of Transparency International says the alleged irregularities highlighted in the audit report should not have been made public until they were proven.

Its chairman, Hari Pal Singh, says the allegations should be investigated by the Anti-Corruption Unit first.