By EDDIE OSIFELO
THE Malango and Bahomea House of Chiefs says it opposed to Government moves to defer of the National General Election from 2023 to 2024.
This was resolved in their meeting held at Holiday Resort on 10 June 2022.
The Resolution totally rejected the six reasons put forward by the DCGA’s strategy to extend parliament term from 4-5 years in 2023-2024.
The six reasons of DCGA are:
- The main rationale behind the deferment of the 2023 National General Election is that will we be hosting the 2023 Pacific Games in the same year. This is needing a lot of financial and logistics support.
- Registration of Voters have not started or updated yet, include those who turn 18 years from last NE.
- The effect of the global pandemic has affected our economy as well include the riot.
- Political parties reform, looking at changing the process of electing the Prime Minister
- The deferment will be a one off, it is not to extend the term of government, it’s the term of the 11th parliament that is extended NOT the government.
- The issue of permanently extending the term of Parliament from 4 to 5 years is one that can be campaigned on in preparation for 2024 NGE.
But the House of Chiefs rejected the main reason for DCGA’S deferment of the election, in relation to the Pacific Games 2023 as following:
“Sports is not a Constitutional requirement; it’s a social requirement, reference to other sporting bodies in the world, reference to Olympic, Commonwealth, include others have moved due to global pandemic.
“Why not the SPG?
“The other five reasons are just a mere political excuse by DCGA’s without any supporting constitutional evidence,” the House of Chiefs said.
