A political commentator in Fiji says it is crucial all parties competing in the upcoming election respect the final outcome.
Shailendra Singh is the head of the University of the South Pacific's journalism programme.
Dr Singh says Fiji is not yet a fully-fledged democracy and it is still recovering from the impacts of the 2006 coup - the country's fourth since gaining independence 52 years ago.
He says Fiji's transition from authoritarianism to greater democracy is an ongoing process.
"The reason is simply that any stalemate or instability could be very damaging. Any instability will undo all those painstaking achievements we've made since 2006"
Shailendra Singh Photo: USP
