Where 2018 General Election Will Be Won

It will be in the Navua, Suva, Nausori corridor

The voter population in the Central Division, as shown by the pie chart, is a telltale sign that this is where the 2018 general election will be won. The second biggest voter population is in the Western Division. You capture enough votes in these two divisions and you are heading for a majority win.

The registration of new young voters, particularly in schools, should also be factored in the calculations. It’s going to change the dynamics on the political landscape. The FijiFirst Government has had a head start by engaging students in the Budget Consultations which were well received despite criticisms from Opposition parties. The students were empowered to ask questions about the economy and other issues which otherwise they would not have been able to do and therefore remain in ignorance. The Navua, Suva, Nausori corridor will be the front trenches of this election. The commercial development going on in Nakasi underlines the confidence of the business community in this densely populated area. From Makoi to Nakasi, new shops are springing up confirming a belief that there is a big market here.

The Fijian Elections Office’s pie charts are an indicator. It’s an area with the greatest racial mix.

So for parties that truly believe in equal citizenry and common identity, they will have a field day here. Many people who live in urban and peri-urban areas want security, education, health, housing and jobs. Because those are the issues that affect them the most.

They are a bit different to the voters in the rural areas who will focus on roads, electricity, water, land and fisheries issues.

SODELPA will focus on iTaukei voters, its powerbase. Already small teams are going into villages as part of its strategy to lay the foundation of its election campaign. MP Niko Nawaikula’s recent rant on the common name and equal citizenry indicates where the party thinking is heading. While some in SODELPA have moved away from this kind of politics like Opposition leader Ro Teimumu Kepa, it appears the conservative traditionalists are hanging on to the old style politics. The National Federation Party, Fiji Labour Party and People’s Democratic Party will go with the flow and make their pitch when it suits them. Many people are waiting to see their manifestos. Don’t hold your breath and don’t expect major changes.

The registration of new young voters, particularly in schools, should also be factored in the calculations. It’s going to change the dynamics on the political landscape. The commercial development going on in Nakasi underlines the confidence of the business community in this densely populated area. From Makoi to Nakasi, new shops are springing up confirming a belief that there is a big market here.