The Flip And The Flop
On Thursday night, Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) caretaker Party Leader Sitiveni Rabuka did not see anything wrong with comments made by his parliamentarian Anare Jale targeting the AttorneyGeneral Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
But he seems to have had a change of heart over the weekend.
When the Fiji Sun asked for his views regarding Mr Jale’s comments, Mr Rabuka had backed his MP, did not believe it went against Party stance on racism and dismissed it as general comments. He had said: “It was a general comment on the observation some people have. We have enjoyed a good rapport by bringing our concerns directly to them (Government) and one such example was during the Adoption Bill today which took a long time to get to Parliament.
“We are allowed to make our own comments and the Party stand is the vote at the end.”
Mr Jale is also vying for the Party leadership position and is one of the applicants of who is running for the position against Mr Rabuka. Over the weekend, the FBC quoted Mr Rabuka distancing himself and the Party from Mr Jale’s comments. The FBC reported: “Rabuka suggests that Jale has defied SODELPA’s specific position by inciting racial differences. Rabuka is emphatic SODELPA does not condone racist outbursts anymore.”
The national broadcaster also had a voice recording and Mr Rabuka is heard saying: “We have a party position on that and the position is that we do not condone statements that would incite racial differences. And we said that when Honourable Mosese Bulitavu made his comments last year, and all we can do is
try and get our members to tone down those issues and be objective about the observations.”
Why the change?
This is not the first time Mr Rabuka has changed his position on issues. His comments have noted to change with his position within the Party. The days he is really incharge, he shoots straight. The day he is up against opponents within his own Party, he strategises to shoot them down. This is what happened in the case of Mr Jale as well. Mr Rabuka also had conflicting things to say about the 2020-2021 national budget. On the evening the national budget was delivered, he welcomed it and praised it. When he went to Parliament, he ran down the budget and criticised it.
What about principles?
The changing stance is a very bad look from someone who wants to be this country’s Prime Minister. At this rate, his policies for the nation would change depending on how much support he has within his cabinet.
Will his policies to help provinces be determined by which provincial representatives side with him in his Cabinet?