pn829. The SODELPA Players: strutting and fretting their time upon the stage

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Eighteen or more articles were published on the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA), Fiji's main opposition party, in the six days leading up to Christmas Eve, and in each article party leaders took swipes —not at the government that it opposes—  but at each other. This is no way to win next year's election. A party so divided cannot hope to win.

There are two camps:  the first,  the national executive lead by Ratu Epenesia Cakobau, Viliame Gavoka and Lenaitasi Duru (photos left-right); 

the second, led by Whip Lynda Tabuya and the Suva executive led by Watisoni Nata.  Lawyer Mosese Bulitavu is sitting on the fence somewhere in between the two camps (photos left-right).  

In the wings, watching and sometimes commenting on this division, is former SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka who, ousted by Gavoka, resigned from SODELPA and formed his own party, the People's Alliance Party, three years ago. Canterbury University's Dr Steven Ratuva thinks his departure could spell the end of SODELPA.

Lydia Tabuya previously led the People's Democratic Party which in December 2017 formed an alliance with SODELPA to contest the 2018 election. Tabuya resigned from the PDP, became a SODELPA candidate and threw her weight behind Rabuka.

But with Rabuka gone, she has questioned SODELPA leadership on several fronts, most notably on the alleged attempt by Vanua Levu members to take over the leadership to the detriment of members in Suva and Viti Levu (the Vanua card); more recently on the mismanagement of funds (Nata files report against SODELPA executives).  

It is unclear whether she will stay with SODELPA or join Rabuka's Alliance party. Either way, she is clearly a key player who could make or break SODELPA.

The friction within SODELPA  can be seen in the news headings mentioned above that were published over the past six days, the earliest on December 19th at the bottom of the list below and the most recent, on December 24th, at the top:

Nata files report against SODELPA executives

Bulitavu is undecided: Tabuya

Tabuya trying to start a coup: Bulitavu

Duru can't be professional: Tabuya

Duru calls for Tabuya resignation

Opposition chambers overstaffed: Duru

Opposition chambers understaffed: Tabuya

Stop using the vanua card: Tabuya

Tabuka sounds like an addict: Duru

Hard to kiss and make up: Gavoka

You can't do that to a person: Gavoka

Tabuya loses faith in executive

Ratu Epenisa hijacked SODELPA meeting: Tabuya

Tabuya not following diriectives: Gavoka

Tabuya sounds desperate: Duru

No internal bickering: Tabuya

Tabuya up for SODELPA leader's post

United front needed to beat government: Tabuya

                                                  --------- 

Pondering this Fiji drama, one thinks of Shakespeare's Macbeth in a not too dissimilar dilemma: 

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,

To the last syllable of recorded time;

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

-- ACW