People’s Democratic Party suspended for 30 days

The Registrar of Political Parties Mohammed Saneem has suspended the People’s Democratic Party effective from yesterday for 30 days.

A statement says following the resignation of Lynda Tabuya, the PDP was required under section 11 of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding & Disclosures) Act, 2013 to update the Register of Political Parties and this has not been done till to date.

Saneem says under the legal framework, the Registered Officer of the Party is the key contact and liaison with the Fijian Elections Office and the PDP has failed and/or neglected to appoint a suitable person as per section 11 since 21 December when Lynda Tabuya resigned.

He says the PDP has 60 days under the Act to remedy the breach and the suspension will be immediately uplifted following the remedy.

Meanwhile, the Supervisor of Elections has also sought certified copies of the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed on 9 December 2017 by Lynda Tabuya of PDP and Sitiveni Rabuka of SODELPA.

Saneem says it has become necessary to verify if the Agreement purportedly merges both SODELPA and the PDP and if it does so, the Act prescribes certain procedural requirements that both parties were required to follow.

He says since the Fijian Elections Office has not received any particulars as at the date of the press release, some deadlines as per the Act may have been exceeded.

Both SODELPA and PDP have 7 days within which to furnish the Fijian Elections Office with the certified copies.