Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. (René Descartes, mathematician and philosopher,1599-1650)

Monday 1 September 2014

The "Perfect" Elections in 2001 and 2006

With some politicians criticizing almost all of the arrangements being made for this year's election , a quick flashback to the 2001 and 2006 arrangements could be instructive:

 Here's what Phil Mercer wrote of the 2001 election:
"Almost a third of all ballots have been cast in Fiji's first post-coup general election with some voters making extraordinary efforts to get to one of the 157 polling stations dotted around the islands.
One 89-year-old man climbed a mountain and walked a further 8km (five miles) down a dirt track, before wading across a river to have his say at the ballot box.

"Election officials are reporting no major problems but have apologised to voters after complaints about long, slow-moving queues. 
They are also investigating claims that two polling station supervisors were found sleeping on the job, leaving hundreds of people waiting outside. "

And this was the report about the 2006 election in The Sunday on May 7:

"Despite the supervisor of elections having informed the nation that the Elections Office was ready on Fiji One Television on the 6:00 p.m. news, May 6 turned out to be a disaster.

"A large army of voters waited from 7:00 a.m. in the morning around various polling stations as the Elections Office scrambled to get organized. 
At Sabeto Primary School in Nadi, the election officials did not arrive until 10:30 a.m. and at Kalabu Fijian School near Suva, voters had to wait until 1 p.m.
"In 32 polling stations in Suva and Lautoka, polling was delayed by as much as six hours because there was no ballot papers and when the papers finally arrived, not all were there."

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Croz,

So what?

Unless you are trying to divert attention from the gerrymander that is taking place right now!!!

And for the usual reasons I remain Annon.

Anonymous said...

Is this from your Whaleoil friend?

Anonymous said...

@AnonymousTuesday, September 2, 2014 at 6:26:00 AM GMT+12

So the truth hurts my friend? Please enlighten us with your arguments against facts presented by Croz. I await with baited breath.

Anonymous said...

@AnonymousTuesday, September 2, 2014 at 8:10:00 AM GMT+12

As for you smarty pants, this is old news. Please add some value to this blog, your tirades are becoming immature.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of fraud, mahen chaudhry committed a big one on FLP supporters by pretending to represent their interests while filling his own pockets. Now he wants to hang on to the leadership despite being convicted in court. This man’s greed and lust for power knows no bounds. Dr Rohit Kishor should be the leader. he was very impressive on FBCTV. Despite the false smear campaign against him by Rajen Chaudhry, Dr Rohit Kishor came across as very reasoned and honest. Unlike the populist politician, NFP party leader Biman Prasad, who is making all kinds of false promises to people and pie-in-the-sky schemes just to get in parliament. Biman and mahen belong to the old, corrupt,guard while Rohit Kishor belongs to the new generation. People need to vote wisely this time.

Anonymous said...

Is this the best you can do whaleoil?

Anonymous said...

Forget FLP!!!

Its dead!

Anonymous said...

Croz,

Just asking and request for clarification please.

Is the Elections Office required to cross-check the assets of all politicians and identify whether it is true?

Is the Elections Office required to recruit the required personnel (or engage relevant bodies like the Fiji Intelligence Unit and FICAC) in cross-checking their assets?

Hope to hear from you as my understanding of such matters is very limited.

Thanks.

A concerned voter

Hope to hear from you.

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr Walsh, Your invoice has been processed.

Crosbie Walsh said...

Anon Sept 2 5:09... Thanks for this info on the Nigerian scam. Don't forget to take your costs before posting my $1,000,000 cheque.

Crosbie Walsh said...

Anon Sept 3. 4:22pm. You raise a very important point. I don't know but I'll try to check it out and post the reply on the blog, if I get one.

Anonymous said...

In fact, Labour will lose their deposit. They have no chance of making the 5% threshold ie 29,000 votes and neither does Roshika Deo, the independent with a mouth much bigger than her list of supporters. Scandalous how the Fiji Times has given her equal billing with the major parties.