Senior NFP member Priscilla Singh disagrees with the proposed Local Government Electoral Act

Senior National Federation Party member and former councillor of the Suva City Council, Priscilla Singh says she stands with her party on disagreeing with the proposed election system of proportional representation for the municipal council elections next year, and she also says we will need to have more youths involved.

The senior NFP member raised her disagreement during the Local Government Electoral Act consultations held at the Lami Parish Hall.

Singh asked why the Local Government Ministry needs to change the electoral system when it did not change when we had the 1970, 1990 and 1997 constitutions.

She says the first-past-the-post voting system was better when a candidate gets elected after having the highest number of votes in an election.

She also asked about the real rationale behind the proposed change and its justification.

In reply, the Fijian Elections Office's Acting Legal Manager, Mesake Dawai says the reason behind the change is to avoid legal battles in court.

While replying to the response, Singh says taking things to court is not bad because it shows democracy at work.

Dawai reassured Singh and the members of the public that the proposed electoral system is a proposal in a draft form and something that will be explored and taken in suggestions before submitted as a proposal to cabinet.