Speaker of Parliament Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu has rejected the FijiFirst notification, which was signed by Voreqe Bainimarama and Faiyaz Koya, as it does not comply with Section 63(3) of the Fiji Constitution.
The FijiFirst notification was not lawfully permitted to hold Bainimarama out as the leader of the FijiFirst Party, as it did not meet the requirements of Section 5(1)(d) of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013 and Section 3(2) of the Electoral (Registration of Voters) Act 2012.
Ratu Naiqama, recognizing the gravity of making a false statement under Section 27 of the Political Parties Act, has appropriately referred the matter to the Registrar of Political Parties, Ana Mataiciwa, for necessary action.
In the event that the FijiFirst Party fails to address the breaches, potentially leading to its deregistration, Ratu Naiqama has requested prompt notification from the FijiFirst MPs regarding their future status as either independent Members or members of an existing party.
Ratu Naiqama, in his commitment to ensuring fairness and impartiality, has sought independent legal advice and is currently in the process of engaging the Registrar of Parties.
One of the 17 FijiFirst MPs, Jone Usamate, has stated that he will continue to perform his role as a Parliamentarian in accordance with FijiFirst values of integrity, meritocracy, diversity, and self-reliance as a nation.
