Choice of venue for any training for political parties is based on cost, availability, size & suitability – Nand

Electoral Commission Chairman Mukesh Nand says the choice of venue for any training for political parties is determined based on the cost, availability, size and suitability.

While speaking at the opening of the Political Party Electoral Processes Workshop at the Suvavou House conference room today, Nand says the Electoral Commission is required by law to conduct regular meetings with political parties and since the beginning of this year they have been holding various meetings and sessions with political parties to up-skill and build their capacity.

He says today’s workshop is one of the most critical amongst all of their meetings and he understands from the presentations today, the Supervisor of Elections will be providing political parties with first hand direct information on the actual processes involved in the various steps along the way.

Nand adds political parties must realize that operational plans of the Fijian Elections Office are tentative in nature and of course be affected by various factors once the election date is announced.

He says they are to be treated for information purposes, for planning and pre-operational purposes and they must always ensure to treat it with a caution as things are subject to change.

Nand says they hope that the representation of political parties in these sessions is at very senior levels so that the information that is provided by the Fijian Elections Office reaches the people that actually do a lot of their political party talking.