The Registrar of Political Parties has rejected the application for the FijiansFirst party registration, citing significant similarities to the deregistered FijiFirst party.
- Registration denied due to objections from the National Federation Party and the People’s Alliance.
- Issues cited include unauthorized use of the coat of arms and a name too similar to FijiFirst.
- The proposed party has 14 days to appeal the decision to the Electoral Commission.
Reasons for FijiansFirst Party Registration Rejection
Registrar of Political Parties Ana Mataiciwa confirmed that the decision followed formal objections from the National Federation Party and the People’s Alliance.
The objections primarily centered on the unauthorized use of the coat of arms within the proposed party’s symbol, as well as the symbol’s resemblance to that of FijiFirst.
Mataiciwa stated that the name “FijiansFirst” and its likely acronym, “FFP,” closely resemble those of the deregistered FijiFirst party.
Under section 8 of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013, the Registrar found the proposed name likely to be confused with or mistaken for the deregistered entity.
Associated Figures and Legal Recourse
The proposed party is associated with Opposition MP Ketan Lal and former FijiFirst Vice President Ravindran Kumaran.
Kumaran declined to comment when approached for details regarding the individuals involved in the planned setup of the party.
The organizers of the proposed FijiansFirst may appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Electoral Commission within 14 days.
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