PRIME Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has raised concerns on allegations of fraud levelled against some agents of a certain political party during the collection of members' signatures.
And this will affect the naming of the Constituent Assembly as the announcement will only be made once he has been advised of which existing political parties have successfully registered under the New Political Parties Decree.
Commodore Bainimarama, in a statement, said he would wait for the decision by the Registrar for Political Parties regarding the allegations.
Commodore Bainimarama said political parties which were successfully registered would be invited to the Constituent Assembly.
The Registrar for Political Parties must — within 14 days — publish a notice of each proposed political party's application, after an initial assessment.
Members of the public then have seven days to lodge serious objections as is allowed under the decree.
Should no objections be raised, the party will be entered into the Register of Political Parties.
Commodore Bainimarama said in the statement the Constituent Assembly had the duty to review and approve the draft constitution as required under the Fiji Constitutional Process (Constituent Assembly and Adoption of Constitution) Decree 2012.
The decree requires that the assembly be diverse, and where possible, be composed of members who represent registered political parties, faith-based organisations, trade unions, employers, the business community, government, farmers and members of rural communities.
The statement read it is also to comprise representatives of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, national organisations, women, youth, people with disability, pensioners, other Fijian-registered civil society groups, and individuals among others.