LENORA, 49, LYNDA, 45,
TALKING POINTS IN POLITICS
First it was Lynda Tabuya joining SODELPA.
Now it’s Lenora Qereqeretabua joining the National Federation Party. Could this signal the dawn of a new era in Fijian politics when we will see more women contesting the general election?
While there has been a mixed bag of response in SODELPA about Ms Tabuya’s entry into the party, Ms Qereqeretabua has been received with open arms by the NFP.
Just as the “Lynda factor” is energising the SODELPA election campaign, NFP leader Biman Prasad and the party’s brains trust are excited that the “Lenora factor” will help light up their campaign which so far has been dull and boring.
They are hoping that her “star power” reputation and experience in television and the media will help to lift the NFP’s public relations crusade. She has been recognised by those who have worked closely with her for her “strong interpersonal skills and unique capacity for empathy.” This quality has made her an ideal choice as a master of ceremony in many events in the private and public arena. When more women show interest in politics, it is a healthy development because they bring their own unique perspective about life.
In the case of Ms Qereqeretabua and Ms Tabuya, their public life endears them to the younger generation because of their exuberance. They can develop their potential to be the voice of the young people and especially young women in articulating national issues that affect our nation.
FijiFirst, Unity Fiji and the Fiji Labour Party have not announced their candidates yet. SODELPA and the NFP still have to choose their remaining candidates. They could have women candidates also trying to play a similar role as the voice of women and the younger generation. The contest will be interesting.
This year could go down in the annals of politics as the election year that saw the largest number of women candidates.
Ms Qereqeretabua is 49 and Ms Tabuya 45. They sit in between the youth age group and the old age group. Many in the young generation will identify with them.
Statistics show that 69 per cent of our population are under 40 years old and 50 per cent are under 27.52 years old.
The FijiFirst government, in recognition of this trend, has been engaging young people, particularly students in senior forms in secondary schools and those in tertiary institutions, in public consultations.
It can be credited for creating an environment that encourages young people to participate in national discussions on issues that affect them. Despite criticisms from Opposition politicians, the Attorney-General and Minister for Finance Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum, held Budget consultations with students last year. They argued the students were too young and it was a ploy to brainwash them. But the consultations proved popular and were highly successful. Some of the issues the students raised were incorporated in the current Budget announced last year.
If they were old enough to vote at 18, they were old enough to express themselves on matters of national importance.
It is too early to predict how big an impact Ms Qereqeretabua and Ms Tabuya will have on the political landscape. Ms Tabuya has been there before. She contested the 2014 general election under the People’s Democratic Party but failed to win a seat. Ms Tabuya, described as a livewire, is causing a stir both inside and outside of SODELPA. In some quarters of the party, she is being touted as a future leader for SODELPA after party leader Sitiveni Rabuka and Ro Teimumu Kepa. She is backed by some members of the ACS Old Girls Association who are campaigning for “Lynda for Leader.”
Ms Qereqeretabua’s approach to politics is expected to be slightly different to Ms Tabuya’s style.
She is expected to take the measured approach. It was evident from Friday’s press conference when the NFP list of candidates was announced that all the candidates will be using the same songbook.
She will, to a certain extent, use her public image to do the talking.
But will Ms Qereqeretabua and Ms Tabuya have a significant impact on their respective party fortunes? Only time will tell.
FijiFirst, Unity Fiji and the Fiji Labour Party have not announced their candidates yet. SODELPA and the NFP still have to choose their remaining candidates.