Big Support for Rabuka, Tabuya
SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka, and ally Lynda Tabuya and party officials showed they had majority support when they shrugged off a strong challenge at the annual general meeting yesterday.
The meeting at Namoli Village defeated a series of motions on governance and finance.
One of the motions was for General Secretary Adi Litia Qionibaravi to step aside over the December special general meeting debacle when Vijay Singh was elected Vice Presi- dent when he was still a member of the People’s Democratic Party. Mr Singh had to step down after Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem ruled that he had breached the Political Parties Act and referred the matter to the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) for further investigation.
Mr Singh was yesterday re-elected vice president, defeating Kelemedi Naidiri who was nominated by Naitasiri.
Mr Singh polled more than 300 votes while Mr Naidiri scored a little more than 100 votes. Mr Singh got the support of the Rabuka-Tabuya
Ratu Naiqama informed the meeting that there was a motion from a Ratu Vesikula in the United States calling for the expulsion of Sainiana Radrodro, wife of member of Parliament Aseri Radrodro, from the party for her postings on social media. He did not allow it to be discussed. Mrs Radrodro who was also in the meeting was caught by surprise and visibly upset. When approached later for her official comment she replied: “no comment.”
camp and the hierarchy.
A motion to have a shadow party leader in case Mr Rabuka loses his court case was also defeated.
A member wanted Mr Rabuka to speak on the subject. But the request was ruled out by president
Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu.
A supplementary motion that a deputy leader be appointed to represent the youths was also defeated. Youths representative in the meeting said there was no need for deputy leader because they supported the party leader.
A motion calling for more accountability and transparency on the party finances was also rejected. The motion was based on concerns by overseas members on how their donations which amount to several thousands of dollars were being accounted for.
Ratu Naiqama informed the meeting that there was a motion from a Ratu Vesikula in the United States calling for the expulsion of Sainiana Radrodro, wife of member of Parliament Aseri
Radrodro, from the party for her postings on social media. He did not allow it to be discussed.
Mrs Radrodro who was also in the meeting was caught by surprise and visibly upset. When approached later for her official comment she replied: “no comment.”
Another issue that was raised was the overtime pay for party office workers. Ratu Naiqama said it was not in their contract. But some members said the party could not preach fair wage to the people when it failed to practise it.
It was evident that Mr Rabuka and Ms Tabuya had prepared their supporters well for the meeting.