Rejects Common

Suva City Council

Roll Proposal

Suva City Council decided recently that it did not want a common roll system of election for council seats.

Six members voted for a common roll and nine against.

At present, elections are held on separate Fijian, Indian and European rolls and there is a system of nominating members to represent minority groups.

The council was asked by the Secretary for Fijian Affairs and Local Government for its views on a pro posal by the Lautoka Town Council that all reference to race should be deleted from the electoral rolls in municipal elections.

With four members voting against, the Suva council approved a resolu tion that the franchise for municipal elections should be amended to follow the system of classification for the Legislative Council electoral rolls. This system provides separate rolls for (a) Fijians and other Pacific Islanders, (b) Indians and (c) members of other races.