An Open Letter, Invitation to Younger Fijians
Dear younger Fijians, This is an open letter and invitation that whatever political party you support (government or not in government) you volunteer on poll day and for the count, to be an agent and scrutineer.
The outcome of the vote will determine the kind of Fiji you live in for the next four years and beyond. A high taxes Fiji with $2.68 an hour minimum wage or different. A high unemployment Fiji or low. A modern, free, liberal Fiji or not. Voting and votes are that important and the writs for elections will be issued anytime from today until October. I urge as many of you as possible to each find three friends and do what is necessary to get yourself accredited as a poll agent/ count scrutineer at a polling station. There will be a few polling stations at each polling venue.
Please expect to be at the polling venue all day. Four of you to each polling station means you can take turns of an hour each. Please take water and food for you all. We will be happy to assist where we can but thi is subject to official approval.
1. The Fijian Elections Office will allow agents and scrutineers to observe the poll all day from beginning to end.
2. You should be able to see the ballot box empty in front of you when the poll opens.
3. Also, you will be able to see every voter and every ballot dropped into the ballot box.
4. If you cannot, then please record it.
5. Please record (in writing) every circumstance that you find suspicious. Just please write it down and it will be dealt with later by party officials and lawyers.
6. Before about 10 minutes to 6pm on poll day, fresh eyes need to be inside the polling station for the count.
7. Immediately after the poll closes, the elections officials are required to empty that ballot box you have all been observing all day- right there in front of you then they count it in front of you. They cannot ask you to leave at any time, everything has to happen in the open in front of you.
8. The ballots are big and visibleA3 paper and 19 font size, stand by the count table and count along. Please record it.
9. If any step is missed, please record it. Send it to your party officials in Suva for tallying and reconciliation.
10. If you have any queries, please contact us for clarification. Send us a message here, on Facebook. We want to do our bit too to make these elections run as smoothly as possible. The ball is now in our court. The Fijian Elections Office had briefed our party like they have the other parties on the vote and count process and procedures. All queries were answered satisfactorily. Another senior lawyer and three other volunteers accompanied me, and we all thought it was pretty straightforward.
We believe in you, Fiji. Please do the needful and volunteer to make this work for all Fijians, but especially for you, the young. Our today and our tomorrow.
Vinaka vakalevu.