Karunaratne: Yet to Speak to Tuiteci on his interest
The Leader of the Freedom Alliance Party, Jagath Karunaratne, is yet to have a conversation with ousted SODELPA provisional candidate, Seremaia Tuiteci, on his interest to join his party.
Mr Karunaratne’s comments come as Mr Tuiteci claimed he would be joining Freedom Alliance Party after his provisional candidacy was terminated by the Social Democratic Party (SODELPA).
“I don’t know what to say,” Mr Karunaratne said.
“I have not spoken to him since his incident in SODELPA.”
A statement from SODELPA reasoned the termination of Mr Tuiteci as failure to solve his outburst on social media. It claimed Mr Tuiteci was a sexist towards all-girls schools in Fiji in which the party apologised.
Mr Karunaratne was skeptical about what Mr Tuiteci’s reputation would do to the party.
Mr Tuiteci said his future in politics was with the Freedom Alliance. He said he was reconsidering it since there are other offers from other political parties.
“Right now, I’m going with the Freedom Alliance party in submitting my name to the Fijian Elections Office,” he said.
He claimed that three prominent political parties had contacted him but could not disclose them.
“No one can match my credentials,” Mr Tuiteci said.
Mr Tuiteci is a retired military officer and civil servant and made it clear that he would remain in politics for the long run.
Meanwhile, SODELPA General Secretary Lenaitasi Duru says he will file a counter complaint against Mr Tuiteci.
This was after Mr Tuiteci lodged a complaint with the Police alleging that Mr Duru swore at him during a Party meeting last week.
Mr Duru said he has been advised by his lawyer to do so.
Mr Duru said Mr Tuiteci threatened him with physical violence.
“Tuiteci does not fit the criteria to be a public officer. There is a set of conduct that needs to be followed and he doesn’t follow it,” Mr Duru said.