The Registrar for Political Parties, Mohammed Saneem, announced today that the National Federation Party (NFP), the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) and the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) have been registered under the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Decree.
The Registrar said that as of today these parties will be able to operate, function, represent and hold themselves out to be political parties.
The Registrar said that he had taken a liberal approach in assessing the applications, and that although there were anomalies in all three parties’ membership lists, he was satisfied that each contained more than 5,000 valid signatures.
The NFP applied for registration with 7,574 member signatures, 189 of which were discounted as anomalies. Total remaining, 7,385.
The FLP applied for registration with 8,456 member signatures, 284 of which were discounted as anomalies. Total remaining, 8,172.
The SODELPA applied for registration with 8,825 member signatures, 136 of which were discounted as anomalies. Total remaining, 8,689.
He said that the anomalies would be referred to the relevant authorities, including the police, for investigation and any further action.
These parties now have thirty days to submit to the Registrar a written declaration giving details of all assets and expenditure including, all contributions, donations or pledges of contributions or donations, whether in cash or in kind, made or to be made to the initial assets of the political party.
Party officials and – in the future – party candidates will also have to disclose personal incomes, assets, business connections, directorships, gifts, and liabilities.
-ENDS-