Real reasons why Ratu Naiqama resigned
Ratu Naiqama knows that he was unconstitutionally elected as Opposition leader by the parliamentary caucus. That’s an issue that must be rectified.
The resignation of Opposition leader Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu as a vice-president of SODELPA comes as no surprise. It is a precursor to a likely defection by members of his conservative right wing faction to Sitiveni Rabuka’s proposed new party. Ratu Naiqama’s excuse that the vanua solidarity
has been undermined is a lame one. The fact is that the vanua solidarity can only be undermined if it’s mixed with politics. And chiefs like him have been engaged in mixing politics with the vanua over the years. The notion that SODELPA is vanua-based
is not entirely true. The party is made up of constituency councils. While they are based in provinces and districts their officials are elected democratically under the rules stipulated by the party constitution .
The vanua-based process does not necessarily follow the democratic style.
Officials can just be chosen and chiefs have the veto power. What they say is usually accepted. When the two systems are mixed they can cause confusion and contention.
That’s what has been happening in SODELPA. The violation of its good governance principles led to the suspension of the party after it was found guilty in court of breaching its constitution.
The suspension was lifted after the breaches were rectified.
Now the current leadership of president Ratu Epenisa Cakobau and party leader Viliame Gavoka is doing its best to comply with the requirements of the party’s constitution.
It means doing away with old practices that are not in harmony with the constitution. That’s good governance.
Ratu Naiqama knows that he was unconstitutionally elected as Opposition leader by the parliamentary caucus. That’s an issue that must be rectified. The vanua issue is a smokescreen.
He found his vice president role untenable because his faction has lost a number of battles. One is the fight over the annual $315,000 parliamentary grant. Second is the party leader role and third is the control of the management board.
His resignation will not affect SODELPA’s new course. It shows that the parting of ways between the two factions is in full swing.