Statement by the Supervisor of Elections
Mr Mohammed Saneem
Closing of Voter Registration & Awareness Assistants Training
Venue: Training & Development Centre, Nasese
Date: 09/02/2022
Time: 4pm
Bula Vinaka Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you all on the completion of the Voter Registration and Awareness Assistants Training for the 2022 General Election.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the FEO recognizes the dedication, time and effort that you are putting in to prepare yourselves to work during the nationwide Voter Registration and Awareness drive that will take place from the 25th of February till 2nd April.
It is pleasing to note that a total of 183 participants have completed this training across the four divisions. 62 in the Central, 52 in the Western, 20 in Eastern and 49 in the Northern division.
The three-day training would have equipped you with technical skills on voter registration as well as broadened your knowledge of elections so that you are able to successfully provide voter services to Fijians as well as conduct voter education on the 2022 General Election.
Remember, you will be visiting schools, settlements, villages as well as urban centres, interacting with voters of all ages and backgrounds. To the average voter, you will be the face of the FEO and the responsibility will be upon you to project yourselves as good ambassadors of the FEO.
One of our core values is ‘Excellence in Service Delivery’ which means that we must provide the highest quality of electoral services to all Fijians and in a manner that is professional, effective and timely. Every staff trained must reflect this core value of the FEO.
The nationwide voter registration drive will be an opportunity for every eligible voter to register and access voter services. We are taking the service to the voters and we must ensure that no one is left behind.
The FEO undertakes this major drive before every election to prepare voters to be able to register and cast a valid vote on election day. This is why the voter education is so crucial. Voters get one opportunity every four years to exercise their right to vote and choose their representative to the highest office of the land, the Parliament of the country.
Adequate voter education and awareness must be done to ensure that every Fijian Voter has enough information that enables him or her to turn up to the correct Polling Venue and cast a valid vote.
The FEO has invested resources into training you all and we expect the highest level of professionalism and respect from each of you when you are on the field representing the FEO.
Every Fijian must be given the best service – they deserve nothing less. Every vote is valuable and as officials from the Election Management Body, we must treat all voters equally and with dignity.
Before I conclude, I would like to remind everyone that the FEO is an independent election management body and we need people with the highest level of integrity, who can come and carry out their responsibilities without fear or favor and in a very apolitical manner.
As election draws closer there will be all sort of misinformation, there may be questions raised but you must remain committed to the task that you have been assigned with. The voter awareness by FEO will assist voters to filter information on elections and allow a voter to reject misinformation.
Ladies and gentleman, the 2022 General Election can take place anytime between 9 July 2022 and 9 January 2023 and we must all work towards delivering a free, fair and credible general election.
It starts with all you as go out on the field to provide voter services and voter education to Fijian voters.
With that being said, I congratulate you all for completing the traning process and I wish you all the best.
Vinaka Vakalevu.
