Next Parliament Sitting Will Be A Bitter Reminder for Rabuka
He will walk into the same chamber that was stormed by his men when they usurped a democraticallyelected Government on May 14, 1987.
When Parliament sits in the coming weeks, it will be a bitter reminder of the actions of the man who staged Fiji’s first coup in 1987 – SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka.
He will walk into the same chamber that was stormed by his men when they usurped a democratically-elected Government on May 14, 1987.
Mr Rabuka is expected to be sworn in as the Opposition Leader, having secured the highest number of votes for the Opposition. Where he will sit as the Opposition Leader, he will be clear view of the wall where gun shots were fired when he tore apart Fiji’s democracy. He will no doubt be reminded of this by the Government side at every opportunity.
But it is not only the May 14, 1987, events that he will be reminded of the day the Deuba Accord was signed on September 23, 1987, and the coup Mr Rabuka did on that day will also be something one can expect to be revisited in Parliament.
On May 14, 1987, Mr Rabuka positioned himself in the public gallery, waiting for his men to storm in. After the men came in, fired a few shots, Mr Rabuka came down and spoke with his uncle, Speaker Militoni Leweniqila.
And from there, everything changed. When things did not go his way on September 23, 1987, he removed another iTaukei government fearing prosecution.
It will no doubt be an interesting sitting when Parliament reconvenes.