Fiji government urged to enter caretaker mode

Transcript

Political parties in Fiji have called on the government to go into a caretaker government mode in the lead up to the election on September 17th.

The National Federation Party and Peoples Democratic Party believe the government should stop using state resources, and state media to campaign for the Fiji First Party.

NFP leader Professor Biman Prasad told Bridget Tunnicliffe as it stands the current regime has a huge advantage.

BIMAN PRASAD: Normally in a democratic environment government's go into a caretaker mode which means that government's do not used any state resources to campaign for their political party, they do not undertake new policies or programmes, they don't change laws relating to the election process and also policies generally that would have an impact on how the next government is going to deal with things. So essentially we are saying that government's should stop using state media, stop using state resources to campaign for the Fiji First party and that's what we mean that the government should really be run by the civil servants and the people who are contesting the election and are holding ministerial positions must not use state resources to advance the agenda of the political party they are representing so that is why we are saying that government ministers who are contesting the election for the Fiji First party must refrain from using state resources, must refrain from using their positions to advance the agenda of the Fiji First party. And we are also calling upon the election commission to look at some of those issues and ensure that we maintain a free and fair environment for the election on September 17.

BRIDGET TUNNICLIFFE: How much of an advantage has the current government got do you think by having the ability to use state resources and state media?

BP: Well they've done that for the last two or three years and they're continuing to do that. Obviously that has put all political parties at a huge disadvantage and even though you know we've been countering that with our campaigns you know through going to the people and holding meetings and I think people understand that the Fiji First party which includes people who are contesting the election under the party and are holding ministerial positions are using state resources, state media to advance their agenda and so we expect the people to understand that and I think that will show in the result on September 17.

BT: Is it normal protocol for a government to go into caretaker mode leading up to an election?

BP: Well I think that's the case in New Zealand, that's the case in most democracies you know and when the writs of the elections are issued governments go into caretaker mode and basically you know create an environment which is free and fair which doesn't put one particular party over another in terms of the advantage they may have in getting the votes on their side. But we obviously haven't had that situation here in Fiji and we are concerned and that's why we are calling on the government to strictly ensure that it doesn't use state resources and also go into a complete caretaker mode until the election on September 17.