THE general election will still be held next year says interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.
Responding to inquiries on whether the election would still be held in March 2009, Commodore Bainimarama said nothing had changed from when the date was announced at the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum in Tonga last year.
He said the interim Government remained firm on its undertaking for the election to be held next year. When referred to comments he made on a radio talkback show last week, where he stated that only God knew when the election would be held, Commodore Bainimarama said the comment was made in response to a statement by Methodist Church assistant general secretary Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu.
Mr Waqairatu had told a broadcast media outlet that people should pray for an early election.
Commodore Bainimarama said neither him nor anyone from the interim administration had stated that the election date had been changed.
He asked how some people could say the election was in doubt because he had never stated at any time that the election dates had been changed.
Ousted prime minister Laisenia Qarase, while speaking at a public forum on Tuesday, said the absence of political will and commitment from the interim regime could mar the general election.
This, Mr Qarase said, was based on recent utterances by Commodore Bainimarama in the media which cast doubt on the certainty of the election being held next year.
Mr Qarase said he doubted whether the interim PM could fulfil a promise to the people of Fiji and the international community on the election timeline.
Deposed Leader of the Opposition Mick Beddoes while speaking at the same forum, said it looked like the interim regime was not keen on staging the election, saying he based his comment on what Commodore Bainimarama and Fiji Labour Party president Jokapeci Koroi had said. But he said people should use the power of persuasion to make changes.
Former Supervisor of Elections Semesa Karavaki said the next election would only take place 14 months after the secretariat of the Constituency Boundaries Commission was established.
However, permanent secretary for Justice Pio Tikoduadua said it was the will of the interim Government to hold the election next year.