‘Judas’ in Coalition Haunts New Govt, Triggers Witchhunt to Identify Traitor
The tripartite coalition Government did not expect a rebel from its ranks in its first vote in Parliament.
When the 21 The People’s Alliance MPs, five National Federation Party members and the three SODELPA MPs arrived in Parliament on Saturday the general consensus was that 29 MPs would vote for their nominees for Speaker, deputy Speaker and Prime Minister.
Instead, only 28 MPs voted, a slim one-vote majority, for Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Speaker Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu and deputy Speaker Lenora Qereqeretabua. The rogue vote went to FijiFirst, increasing its votes from 26 to 27.
Whether that trend will continue in future Parliament sittings is not known.
But it should be a concern for
Mr Rabuka and the coalition’s top brass.
All it needs is a coalition MP to be missing from a sitting due to unforeseen circumstances to complicate matters for the new Government.
It is a significant crack in the coalition solidarity armour and it has got members of the three parties talking.
A witchhunt has already begun to
try to identify the MP who is now being dubbed Judas Iscariot or Judas.
Judas was one of 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. He betrayed Jesus Christ by leading the Roman soldiers to him and they arrested him, for 30 pieces of silver.
Blame game starts
The blame game has started with attention focussed on the three SODELPA
MPs Viliame Gavoka, Aseri Radrodro and Ifereimi Vasu, who have been sworn in as ministers.
The other possibility is that everyone in the coalition ranks is a suspect because there is no documentary evidence.
All the ballot papers were destroyed straight after the vote results were announced as part of the parliamentary protocol.
Anyone blamed will be on the basis of circumstantial evidence which may not hold water in legal considerations. But social media debate on the issue concentrated on the SODELPA MPs.
The only way we would know is if “Judas” admits he voted against the coalition. Unless it happens all we can do is speculate.
Finger pointing that is going on at the moment is based on perceptions, speculations and loads of conspiracy theories.
While the trio have signed the coalition agreement, there are still wounded feelings that are deepseated between the SODELPA and The PA camps especially about how Mr Rabuka exited SODELPA to form The PA and how some of his followers stayed behind to destabilise the party.
Mr Radrodro seems to be main target of the blame game because he stood up against rebel elements in SODELPA before they defected to The PA.
It’s unlikely to be him because he had publicly declared he was a party man and would toe the party line.
Mr Gavoka and Mr Vasu are party men too. So whoever was responsible had his or her own motive. Was it designed to frame one of them to cop the blame?
While the coalition Government wants to put this issue behind and focus more on going to work to implement its policies, the intriguing close vote count, potentially could fester like a bad sore, if not sorted to achieve certainty.