Venkat Raman
Auckland, December 23, 2022
After two closed-door meetings – first with the People’s Alliance (PA) and the National Federation Party (NFP) and then with the ruling FijiFirst (FF) Party – the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) confirmed this evening that it would help the former in forming the next government.
A coalition with the PA-NFP-SODELPA will be in place but there is no guarantee that things would work according to what they appear, for in Fiji, as the saying goes, ‘anything is possible.’
Simple Arithmetic would dictate that 21 (number of seats won by PA) plus five (NFP) plus three (SODELPA) would mean a majority (29) in the 55-member Parliament. The FF first Party won 26 seats but calculations seem to work differently in Suva.
‘Nothing to concede’
FijiFirst General Secretary and the current Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said at a press conference yesterday (December 22, 2022) that ‘there was nothing to concede,’ meaning that the formation of the next government is not automatic.
“The FijiFirst Party won 26 seats on its own and the PA-NFP together won 26 seats. That is all,” he said, adding that the appointment of the next Prime Minister will be decided on the first day of Parliament. Of course, his statement was before SODELPA’s declaration today.
Speculation was rife in the Capital that President Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere will convene Parliament after January 2, 2023, to allow voting for the next Prime Minister and if not satisfied, call for another general election, which Fiji can ill-afford.
Parliament amidst tension
But a Gazette notification issued a few moments ago said that President Katonivere has convened the session tomorrow (Saturday, December 24, 2022) at 9.30 am.
One vote can decide the fate of incumbent Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama and the PA Leader Sitiveni Rabuka.
Suva was in tension for the past two days with reports of alleged physical and verbal abuse of ‘ethnic minorities,’ prompting the Police and the Army to come out to contain any riot but the situation was largely peaceful. There were moments of tension at the Southern Cross Hotel where SODELPA received the presentations of PA-NFP and FF in two separate sessions.
These rearranged urgent meetings were prompted by the objections raised in FF quarters and in other places that the SODELPA Board did not comply with basic rules and that the membership of some members who voted earlier in favour of a coalition with PA-NFP had expired.
Rabuka humbled
Mr Rabuka said that he was humbled by the decision of SODELPA.
“It is a landmark decision. It is a decision that Fiji and students of History will look back and acknowledge the turning point in Fiji. I am honoured that I have been accepted as the three-party coalition nominee for the post of Prime Minister and we are grateful to the President for convening the first session of Parliament tomorrow (Saturday),” he said.
NFP Leader Professor Biman Prasad said that he believed that the three Parties are natural partners in a government.
But the political drama is not yet over in Fiji. Tomorrow will be another day.
