SODELPA leads Opposition pack in discussing policies in manifesto

SODELPA may not be tracking well in the public opinion poll but there is one thing that sets it apart from the rest of the Opposition back.

Its party leader, Viliame Gavoka, shows that he is media savvy by posting a summary of the party manifesto on his Facebook page.

Other Opposition parties appear to be holding back, probably wary of the new rules on financial disclosures about their policies.

The rules require them to reveal how they would raise the funds to finance their promised policies and spend them.

They are designed to prevent politicians from making false promises that would have a ring of sound-good and feel-good policies but have no substance and are unrealistic.

One of SODELPA’s policies that have been disclosed is that if it becomes the Government, it will free up $200 million a year to finance tuition-free tertiary education.

Mr Gavoka has also announced that they would build a new stateof-the-art hospital in Nasinu and another one in Nadi.

These are concrete plans. No other Opposition party has so far announced anything like it.

The tuition-free promise is aimed at attracting young voters from the 18 to 40 age range who would be pursuing higher learning in one form or another. Those voters represent the largest chunk of registered voters in this election.

This initiative was tried by New Zealand, but it was finally scrapped because it was financially unsustainable.

Mr Gavoka and his team are confident they could afford it, although some, especially from the Government side, are sceptical. They believe in the motto – where there is a will there is a way.

If they can market it effectively, they will gain significant inroads with the young population during these tough economic times.

The hospital proposals will appeal to those who live in the two areas. Nasinu is the most densely populated area in Fiji and Nadi is rapidly expanding and growing as a financial hub. So SODELPA hopes the hospital plan will strengthen its pitch in areas that have a high voter potential.

Mr Gavoka has also made sure that the party is visible and transparent in articulating public interest matters. He puts out a steady flow of media releases on a wide range of issues.

But, in the latest Fiji Sun-Western Force Research public opinion poll, Mr Gavoka and SODELPA have dropped from 11 per cent in the previous poll to 9.6 per cent. He and his team do not believe the poll outcome. They are confident that they are doing better than that and in the coming months their fortunes will shoot up.

Other Opposition parties are mostly focusing on attacking the Government but are not giving much in terms of alternatives.

TOMORROW: What’s the New Generation Party up to?