Fiji municipal election, 2002
Encyclopedia
Fiji's municipal elections
of October 2002 produced results that allowed three major political parties, the United Fiji Party (SDL), the Fiji Labour Party
(FLP), and the National Federation Party (NFP) to claim a victory of sorts. The elections, which take place every three years, were for two city
councils and ten town
councils throughout Fiji.
of 1999
and 2001
, failing to win a single seat in the House of Representatives
, remained strong at the municipal level, while the SDL and the FLP, despite their fierce and sometimes bitter rivalry in national politics, forged an alliance after the election to control the Suva City Council
.
Suva
The Ratepayers Alliance, a coalition dominated by the NFP, won 8 of the 20 seats on the Suva City Council
. The SDL won 7 and the FLP, 5. The Ratepayers Alliance and the SDL initially formed a coalition
to reelect Chandu Umaria as Lord Mayor, but the coalition fell apart a year later when the SDL forged an alliance with the FLP to elect Ratu Peni Volavola
to the office.
FLP support was concentrated in the Samabula Ward, where it won all five seats. In previous municipal election, held in 1999 the FLP had won no seats on the city council.
Nadi
The NFP retained its hold on the Nadi Town Council, winning 10 of the 15 seats. The other 5 seats, all from the Martintar Ward, were won by the FLP, which had won no seats in 1999.
Lautoka
The FLP retained control of the Lautoka City Council, winning 10 of the 15 seats. The remaining 5 seats, all from the Waiyavi Ward, were won by the SDL.
Labasa
The Ratepayers Alliance, dominated by the NFP, won 10 of the 12 seats. The remaining 2 were won by the FLP.
Savusavu
The election for control of the Savusavu Town Council was fought entirely between locally organized groups with no ties to national political parties. Of the 9 seats, the Lighthouse won 6 and Sunrise 2.
Nasinu
The SDL narrowly won control of the 21-member Nasinu Town Council, taking 11 seats, against 10 for the FLP.
Lami
The Ratepayers Association extended its 17-year hold on the Lami Town Council by winning another term.
in the Towns of Ba and Labasa
. People living outside the municipal boundaries were allegedly enrolled as voters. According to the FLP, electoral authorities ignored 300 such cases in Labasa. In all municipalities, there were reports of voters finding that their names had not been registered on the final roll, despite appearing on the provisional one; the FLP claimed that a number of these were known supporters of the party.
Municipal elections in Fiji
Fiji has established municipal governments for two cities and ten towns . Each city or town has a council comprising between 8 and 20 members, elected for three-year terms, although the government announced legislation on 15 February 2006 to extend the term to four years...
of October 2002 produced results that allowed three major political parties, the United Fiji Party (SDL), the Fiji Labour Party
Fiji Labour Party
The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji, which holds observer status with the Socialist International. Most of its support at present comes from the Indo-Fijian community, although it is officially multiracial and its first leader was an indigenous Fijian, Dr. Timoci Bavadra. It is...
(FLP), and the National Federation Party (NFP) to claim a victory of sorts. The elections, which take place every three years, were for two city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
councils and ten town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
councils throughout Fiji.
Results by municipality
The results showed considerable variation from one municipality to another, indicating that local rather than national issues played a prominent role in the election. The NFP, which suffered disastrous defeats in the national electionsElections in Fiji
Fiji has held nine general elections for the House of Representatives since becoming independent of the United Kingdom in 1970; there had been numerous elections under colonial rule, but only one with universal suffrage . In this period, Fiji has had three constitutions, and the voting system has...
of 1999
Fiji election of 1999
General elections were held in Fiji between 8 and 15 May 1999. They were the first election held under the revised Constitution of 1997, which instituted a new electoral system and resulted in Mahendra Chaudhry taking office as Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister.-Electoral system:Previously,...
and 2001
Fiji election of 2001
The Constitution of Fiji was restored by a High Court decision on 15 November 2000, following the failure of the political upheaval in which the government had been deposed and the constitution suspended in May that year. On 1 March 2001, the Appeal Court upheld the decision. An election to...
, failing to win a single seat in the House of Representatives
House of Representatives (Fiji)
The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. It is the more powerful of the two chambers; it alone has the power to initiate legislation...
, remained strong at the municipal level, while the SDL and the FLP, despite their fierce and sometimes bitter rivalry in national politics, forged an alliance after the election to control the Suva City Council
Suva City Council
The Suva City Council is the municipal law-making body of the city of Suva, Fiji's capital. It consists of 20 Councillors, elected for three-year terms from four multi-member constituencies called wards...
.
SuvaSuvaSuva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
The Ratepayers Alliance, a coalition dominated by the NFP, won 8 of the 20 seats on the Suva City CouncilSuva City Council
The Suva City Council is the municipal law-making body of the city of Suva, Fiji's capital. It consists of 20 Councillors, elected for three-year terms from four multi-member constituencies called wards...
. The SDL won 7 and the FLP, 5. The Ratepayers Alliance and the SDL initially formed a coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
to reelect Chandu Umaria as Lord Mayor, but the coalition fell apart a year later when the SDL forged an alliance with the FLP to elect Ratu Peni Volavola
Peni Volavola
Captain Ratu Peni Volavola is the Lord Mayor of the Fijian capital of Suva.Volavola, a Councillor representing the Tamavua ward, was elected Lord Mayor in 2003, under a memorandum of understanding between of his United Fiji Party and the National Federation Party of his predecessor, Chandu...
to the office.
FLP support was concentrated in the Samabula Ward, where it won all five seats. In previous municipal election, held in 1999 the FLP had won no seats on the city council.
NadiNadiNadi is the third-largest conurbation in Fiji. It is located on the western side of the main island of Viti Levu, and had a population of 42,284 at the most recent census, in 2007. Nadi is multiracial with many of its inhabitants Indian or Fijian, along with a large transient population of foreign...
The NFP retained its hold on the Nadi Town Council, winning 10 of the 15 seats. The other 5 seats, all from the Martintar Ward, were won by the FLP, which had won no seats in 1999.LautokaLautokaLautoka is the second largest city of Fiji and the second largest in the South Pacific. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar...
The FLP retained control of the Lautoka City Council, winning 10 of the 15 seats. The remaining 5 seats, all from the Waiyavi Ward, were won by the SDL.Ba Town
The NFP-dominated Ratepayers Alliance made a clean sweep, winning all 15 seats on the Ba Town Council.LabasaLabasaLabasa is a town in Fiji with a population of 27,949 at the most recent census held in 2007.Labasa is located in Macuata Province, in the north-eastern part of the island of Vanua Levu, and is the largest town on the island. The town itself is located on a delta formed by three rivers - the...
The Ratepayers Alliance, dominated by the NFP, won 10 of the 12 seats. The remaining 2 were won by the FLP.SavusavuSavusavuSavusavu is a town in the Fijian Province of Cakaudrove. The town is located on the south coast of Vanua Levu Island and had a population of 3,372 in the 2007 census.Savusavu is known as "the hidden paradise of Fiji."- Geography :...
The election for control of the Savusavu Town Council was fought entirely between locally organized groups with no ties to national political parties. Of the 9 seats, the Lighthouse won 6 and Sunrise 2. NasinuNasinuNasinu is an urban area on the island Viti Levu in Fiji. It is officially designated a "Town" despite its population . Nasinu is the most populous municipality in Fiji, having overtaken that of Suva , and is one of Fiji's fastest-growing towns...
The SDL narrowly won control of the 21-member Nasinu Town Council, taking 11 seats, against 10 for the FLP.LamiLamiLami, Fiji is an urban area in Rewa Province, Fiji, north-west of Suva. It was formally incorporated as a Town in 1977, and had a population of 20,529 at the most recent census in 2007. The municipal boundaries enclose an area of 680 square kilometers....
The Ratepayers Association extended its 17-year hold on the Lami Town Council by winning another term.Controversies
The FLP made allegations of electoral fraudElectoral fraud
Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. Acts of fraud affect vote counts to bring about an election result, whether by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates or both...
in the Towns of Ba and Labasa
Labasa
Labasa is a town in Fiji with a population of 27,949 at the most recent census held in 2007.Labasa is located in Macuata Province, in the north-eastern part of the island of Vanua Levu, and is the largest town on the island. The town itself is located on a delta formed by three rivers - the...
. People living outside the municipal boundaries were allegedly enrolled as voters. According to the FLP, electoral authorities ignored 300 such cases in Labasa. In all municipalities, there were reports of voters finding that their names had not been registered on the final roll, despite appearing on the provisional one; the FLP claimed that a number of these were known supporters of the party.