pn867. Fiji Snippets: Bainimarama returns home, We Unite Fiji Party registration refused, Human Rights, Lynda Tabuya

 

■ Bainimarama returns to Fiji after heart surgery 

■ We Unite Fiji Party registration application refused due to unsufficient numbers

 ■ Ashwin Raj urges human rights community to work together

■ Supervisor of Elections Saneem questions Lynda Tabuya's  confusing actions at school

■ This is the portal for Covid-19 statistics.

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. 

pn825. The Fiji Merry-Go-Round

People unfamiliar with Fiji, or only with the Fiji of "Bula" and happy holidays smiles, would be amazed at the amount of vitriol, backstabbing and inflammatory nastiness that erupts around almost all controversial issues in politics and even the universities.

pn636. Fiji: changing of the guard

Sitiveni Rabuka

Ratu Naiqama

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Many people will have mixed feeling on the resignation and retirement of Sitiveni Rabuka as leader of Fiji's main opposition party, SODELPA, and leader of the Opposition. Rightly condemned for instigating the 1987 Coup, the reformed older Rabuka has been a stabilising force in his party for some years, and had the support of the more moderate members of the party.

His resignation exposed SODELPA's internal divisions.