Membership under scrutiny
SODELPA Party Leader Sitiveni Rabuka has questioned Ro Dona Takalaiyale’s membership and the credibility he brings to the party for calling for a special general meeting.
Earlier this month, five senior members of SODELPA’s management board called for a special general meeting to discuss what they called ‘serious internal issues’.
It is understood a letter was written to the party president and the Tui Cakau, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu. The letter called for the meeting where the top officials were to stand aside and allow the party to review its internal processes.
The issues related to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SODELPA and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Three letters were sent to the party’s headquarters after it was discovered that former PDP president Vijay Singh was not a SODELPA financial member when he was elected one of the three vice-presidents at the special general meeting on December 9. The party in December, 2017 had appointed three of its vice-presidents: Vijay Singh, Ro Dona Takalaiyale and Anare Jale. However, Mr Rabuka said: “I do not know whether Ro Donna is a member of the party when he raised those issues. First of all it had to be determined whether he is a member or not. “I believe Ro Teimumu had paid some money at the administration desk or the registration desk and who for, we don’t know.”
Mr Rabuka believes a receipt was made for that amount but the names of who they were for were not recorded, or not receipted specifically.
“If he (Ro Donna) was one of those then that will have to be clarified, once we substantiate that he is a member of the party than his vice-presidency can be validated.”
Mr Rabuka clarified that in the case of Vijay Singh, they had informed Mr Singh his election on that day had not been validated until his resignation from PDP and registration as a member of the SODELPA were validated.
“So at that time when they wrote that letter he was in the same category as Vijay Singh. I am questioning it, because I do not know if Ro Donna is a member or not.”
It is understood that Ratu Naiqama has responded to the letter questioning Ro Dona’s membership status.
Earlier this month, Ro Dona through a telephone conversation said he had not received a letter from the party president. Ro Dona, Ratu Naiqama and General Secretary Adi Litia Qionibaravi could not be reached for comment when this edition went to press.