India Helps Buy Vehicles For Elections Edited by Percy Kean
The Indian High Commissioner, Vishvas Sapkal, hopes to continue the relationship with Fiji in strengthening democracy.
The High Commission a donated $224,000 cheque to the Fijian Elections Office yesterday to help with the 2018 General Election. Mr Sapkal said they made a similar donation to the Fijian Elections Office in 2014.
“India is the largest practising democracy and India is happy in assisting the spread of democratic values in the world,” he said. “In strengthening democracies the best thing is that the Elections Commission of India and Fijian Elections Office have a co-operation and signed a MOU in January 2017.”
“As of that MOU we are providing assistance. In the last general elections we donated 10 vehicles and for this elections one vehicle has already been provided and another four more have been procured today.” Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem said the Fijian Elections Office continued to support from the Indian Government and the grant presented yesterday was further support in terms of getting vehicles for the election.
“I would like to thank his excellency Mr Sapkal and the Government of India for their support to the Fijian Elections Office,” Mr Saneem said.
“Considering the fact that there may be elections in the next few months we will quickly initiate the procurements of vehicles for the election.”