14 Jan 2013

Fiji tenders for 2014 election materials

1:59 pm on 14 January 2013

The Fiji information ministry says local and foreign companies are invited to register their interest in supplying materials for the 2014 elections.

It says expressions of interest can be lodged until the end of next month to supply items such as ballot boxes, polling kits, ink, voting booths and voting screens.

The Minister Responsible For Elections, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, says interested companies will be required to meet several accepted international standards.

The announcement comes amid an uproar by political parties and NGOs over last week's regime move to dump the draft constitution which was based on more than 7,000 submissions.

The regime has said the discarded draft contradicted reforms put in place by government for the way forward for the country and next year's elections to give Fijians true democracy.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum has told FBC News that this is not a time for point scoring, not a time to involve in misinformation.

A new draft is being drawn up by the regime which will set up a Constituent Assembly to debate it next month.