FijiFirst vs SODELPA and NFP
A CLASH OF PHILOSOPHIES, A CLASH OF IDEAS
Two weeks before the vulagi comments, Mr Prasad lashed out in Parliament and told FijiFirst MPs that SODELPA was not racist.
Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum yesterday addressed the FijiFirst’s philosophies on FBC’s Aaina programme with host Shammi Lochan.
While he was there to talk about the 2019-2020 National Budget, callers asked him outright what he thought about the comments made by Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) Member of Parliament Mosese Bulitavu.
He spoke candidly about how FijiFirst Party leader and Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama remained steadfast in his philosophies, the philosophies which FijiFirst was founded on, one of which was to rise above racism.
He talked about how National Federation Party’s leader Biman Prasad “received a slap” on his face when two weeks before Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu labelled NFP as a
vulagi (foreigner) Party, Mr Prasad spoke out in SODELPA’s defence and said that “these people on this side (SODELPA MPs) are not racist. Two weeks before the vulagi comments, Mr Prasad lashed out in Parliament and told FijiFirst MPs that SODELPA was not racist.
Two weeks later, NFP released two statements calling out SODELPA on their racist comments. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum also spoke about how NFP’s founding members had philosophies and long term ideas on what they wanted for Fiji, but the current leadership lacked that.
Mr Prasad, on the other hand, is “neither here, nor there”, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum remarked.
The Bulitavu Comment:
A caller identifying herself as Kavita from Suva asked Mr SayedKhaiyum what he thought about the silence from women MPs from the Opposition side.
While speaking in Fijian-Hindi, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said it was unfortunate that women MPs from the Opposition side such as Lenora Qereqeretabua, Lynda Tabuya, Salote Radrodro and Ro Teimumu Kepa did not speak out against the misogynistic comments made by Mr Bulitavu.
He urged young Fijians to remember this and to think that Mr Bainimarama was the first leader to speak out in very strong terms against Mr Bulitavu’s comments. He said that while Mr Bainimarama had spoken out very strongly against Mr Bulitavu’s comments, other FijiFirst Ministers and MPs also spoke out very strongly against Mr Bulitavu’s remarks.
He said Ms Qereqeretabua’s comment on the vulagi issue was that their leader had spoken, but nothing else. He questioned the reason behind their silence.
Another caller asked if all politi
cal parties could work together for the benefit of Fiji. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum questioned, how could they work with political parties that changed their tune on issues regularly? He said FijiFirst would not work in tandem with a Party like SODELPA where such views as Mr Bulitavu’s were not openly condemned. He said FijiFirst and SODELPA had a clash of philosophies and a clash of ideas.
He also rebuked Fiji Labour Party’s Mahendra Chaudhry and Mr Prasad for not being strong in their opposition against racist remarks in Parliament.
Shenanigans in Parliament:
Giving an example of how SODELPA thinks only along racial lines, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum shared an anecdote. He said when Roy Krishna had won an award in New Zealand, Government MPs mentioned it in Parliament and acknowledged his win. From SODELPA side, Mikaele Leawere yelled out that the awards of rugby players should also be acknowledged. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said it was not about players of which ethnicity won an award. A Fijian boy had won accolades in New Zealand and Government MPs were acknowledging that. But, like everything, SODELPA only saw the race and ethnicity of the player.
What had NFP said? Nothing. FijiFirst vs SODELPA:
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said prior to Fiji heading into polls in 2014, he had mentioned to a few NFP members that FijiFirst had already implemented what NFP founders had fought hard for- the Fijian name for all being one of that.
He told them that as a matter of principles, NFP should consider not contesting 2014 general elections because that elections was a clash of philosophies, those that FijiFirst espoused of equality, meritocracy against what SODELPA pushed for.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said sadly individual egos won and NFP went on to contest 2014 General Elections.
NFP lost the 2014 and 2018 General Elections and maintained only three seats in Parliament. The Attorney-General said FijiFirst has stood for and would always stand for each and every Fijian. The race, ethnicity of a person does not matter.
He said for any country to prosper and develop, the entire country needs to rise above race-based politics.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum questioned how could they work with political parties that changed their tune on issues regularly?