Rabuka back in office
After 35 days, Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, yesterday resumed office at the Opposition Chambers. The Opposition Leader said talks of a new party was now history and he looked forward to working with the newly-elected executives. “At the time we were suspended, we were considering all options in a worst-case scenario, one was forming another party and the second one was joining one of the established parties,” Mr Rabuka said.
But now that the suspension was lifted “we’re staying”, he added. “We’re glad that we are back into the swing ring and now we’re just going to wait for those who have gone to the rural areas to get back so that we could have a complete caucus,” Mr Rabuka said.
“In the meantime, we will have to work on unity. The petitioners have had their case and there has been a ruling and the appellant have withdrawn their case.
Asked why he didn’t sign the documents confirming the appointment of Emele Duituturaga as general secretary, Mr Rabuka said he wasn’t present at the meeting.
“I didn’t see a need to sign the document because I was not in that meeting, those who saw the processes were prepared to sign, but I did not.”
He said the caucus members of SODELPA had set their focus on the National Budget Announcement on June 17.
“We will also be setting our focus on the Special General Assembly on July 25 before we get into the deferred AGM later in the year.”