Dissolve SODELPA If You Can’t Resolve Differences, Leaders Told
And set up a new party that honours and respects its constitution, says prominent party representative in Australia, Suliasi Daunitutu.
SODELPA officials have been warned that unless they end the internal bickering that has caused a major split, members will leave the party in their droves. Prominent party representative in Australia, Suliasi Daunitutu, has even declared that the ultimate course of action is to dissolve the party, set up a new one and start afresh. He says the members “are fed up” of the in-fighting. Mr Daunitutu has called on general secretary Adi Litia Qionibaravi, at the centre of the latest row, to step down and return to the vanua in Northland, Tailevu, and serve from there. He posted a video in which he expressed his views in
iTaukei. Mr Daunitutu addresses the party leadership before the Management Board meeting in Suva on Saturday when the future of the party will be decided. He warns the officials that they should follow good governance principles based on the party constitution and eliminate provincialism and tribalism in their decision-making. The election of officers should be based on merit not on sectional interests for the overall good of the party.
Unhappy members
He says members are disillusioned that the leadership has allowed the SODELPA politics to degenerate into the gutter level where personal and family vilification and character assassination has been running rampant.
He adds that this has happened because the provisions of the party constitution have not been followed. He cites the recent controversial Working Committee meeting as an example. He says they were informed through unofficial sources of its resolutions immediately after the meeting. Adi Litia was to be suspended as general secretary and Pio Tabaiwalu was to replace her temporarily.
He questions why it took acting president Vijay Singh a longer time to release the official statement, which was different. Was this because different groups were talking to him, he asks.
He says straight after the meeting, the lobbying started. Some may have gotten to his ear.
He says they believe that ousted president Ro Filipe Tuisawau, general secretary Usaia Waqatairewa and vice president Adi Litia should have respected caretaker party leader Sitiveni Rabuka’s decision that the party should not appeal the High Court decision against it in the interest of party unity. The court ruled that the annual general meeting in Savusavu last year was null and void. That meant that the election of the trio was invalid. He says they recognise the trio’s individual rights to appeal but their defiance against Mr Rabuka was not a good look for the party. Mr Daunitutu says it can be perceived in several ways, one of which is that Mr Rabuka’s leadership is weak.
According to his legal advice, the committee was constitutionally authorised to hold that meeting and fill vacant positions otherwise the party would face deregistration as outlined in a letter to the party from the Registrar of Political Parties, Mohammed Saneem.
He says Mr Rabuka has directed members to remain calm and united. But he says that how can members stay calm and united when officials in Suva are split.
Taking things personally
He blames the serious division on provincialism, tribalism and making decisions based on personal relationships and traditional alliances. Mr Daunitutu says if the constitution is there and they can’t follow it because of these differences then there is no use having a party.
He says members of the Fijian Advocacy Inc, of which he is the leader, within SODELPA Australia, talk in conference six times a week, discussing the issues facing the party in Fiji.
He says change must happen otherwise some members will leave the party, not join another party and lose interest in the election altogether. They feel that SODELPA is the only party that champions indigenous interests.
Feelings are running high among members in Australia that the party does not genuinely think about them because of its conduct over governance issues. They are concerned about the changes to the constitution that appeared to have been done to suit some agendas. They cite one example about the amendment to increase the membership of the Management Board from nine during the late Laisenia Qarase’s time to 42. Why was it done and was it necessary? That, according to Mr Daunitutu, has encouraged provincialism and tribalism.
Plea to officials
He calls on officials to do things on merit. He reveals that he voted for Niko Nawaikula in the past two general elections because of his knowledge and background about iTaukei land even though the MP is from Bua in Vanua Levu and he is from Verata in Tailevu.
He urged officials to look at the bigger picture. That is why he is calling on Adi Litia to step down even though she is his cousin. He says they will always be related no matter what happens.
He is hurt when some members hurl abuse at her. People should not take things personally, he adds. He says the personal and family vilification and character assassination has reached gutter level politics. This is unacceptable because discussions should be based on issues, he adds.
Mr Daunitutu has warned that the party will lose the six seats it gained in 2018 and more if it fails to resolve the current impasse. He says members in Australia are willing to contribute to the election fund for the 2022 election. But that will change if the party is not united.
To Mr Singh, Mr Daunitutu says: “You have an obligation to enforce the outcome of the meeting.
“Use your constitutional power and intellect and direct this party… and get it back together.
“If we want to be successful, then stay within the law. If you can do that, we will fund the party,” Mr Daunitutu says.
The pressure is on Mr Singh and Mr Rabuka to ensure that the rules are followed on Saturday and that the decision of the meeting is carried out.