SUVA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A day after the Fijian government issued the writ of elections for the island nation, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said on Tuesday the country had cemented the future of democracy through the historic achievement of its 2013 Fijian Constitution.
This is the second time the Fijian government would use the electoral system under this constitution since the country's 2006 coup. This is Fiji's fourth constitution.
Bainimarama said Fiji was preparing to hold its second General Election under an equal and inclusive voting system, as Fiji proudly stands as a nation whose electoral process is driven by a guiding principle: one person, one vote and one value.
Bainimarama said on Nov. 14, Fiji will witness this principle in action where every citizen's voice will matter equally, regardless of where they live or their social status, regardless of their family name and their ability, and regardless of their religion, province, ethnicity or gender.
He added that like in 2014, the outcome of the 2018 election will reflect the will of the Fijian people.
He urged all citizens of Fiji to act responsibly on social media, to look at posts they read online with a critical eye, respect the privacy of their fellow citizens, and be cautious about unwittingly participating in dangerous group or mob mentality by sharing unverified rumors. Currently, Fiji has a population of over 880,000, with more than 600,000 registered voters.
The FijiFirst party, the island nation's ruling party, is ready to participate in the general elections by recently announcing 51 provisional candidates, including 11 women candidates.
The number of polling venues has increased from 1,361 in 2014 to 1,435 in 2018.
Fiji's latest general election was held in September 2014, the first ever since the country's 2006 coup.
