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As the Supervisor of Elections for this year, Semesa Karavaki yesterday relived the experience he has had with the media at a workshop organized by the University of the South Pacific.
The three day workshop which will end tomorrow (22/03), is organized by USP’s Democracy and Electoral Studies Programme, Pacific Institute of Advanced Studies in Development and Governance in collaboration with the Electoral Commission/Elections Office, UNESCO and the British High Commission for journalists from around the region.
Mr Karavaki said this was the first time he was conducting the general elections although he had already conducted two by-elections last year.
The experiences from the two by-elections conducted in the past and through the process of preparing for the general elections this year he said, had given him some exposure and at the same time experience in dealing with the media.
And from these experiences, he said he has come to believe that taking suggestions from media personnel is an inclusive approach in order to maintain a cordial relationship with them in the process of information dissemination to the voters.
Mr Karavaki stressed that when going through the preparation process, the election proper and also the post election period, his office is guided by principles.
These include, Independence, Respect for the Rule of Law, Transparency, Respect for Rights, Neutrality, Integrity and Accountability.
“And these are also the principles that I believe that you media personnel always look at in terms of your finding information you know whether we are performing on the basis on free and fair principles,” he said.
“These I believe are the principles that if we comply with these principles, I believe that the media in fact agree with us that we are conducting an election that is based on free and fairness.”
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