Former Lands Ministry permanent secretary Tevita Boseiwaqa and former Animal Health and Production Division director Tomasi Tunabuna are among the 11 new provisional candidates announced by The People’s Alliance yesterday.
Party general secretary Sakiasi Ditoka said the other newbies included former parliamentarian Peceli Rinakama, lawyer Mereoni Duaibe, business manager Napolioni Nasara, climate finance specialist Noa Seru, Tailevu businessman Rajendra Prasad, financial analyst Semi Leiwere, former senior officer in the Prime Minister’s Office, Jacob Karutake, PA deputy general secretary Sila Balawa and retired school principal Apisalome Vunisa.
He said this took to 35 the number of candidates who would be nominated to contest the elections under The People’s Alliance banner.
Mr Ditoka said the remaining 20 candidates would be unveiled once they obtained release from their employers, or when the Writ of Elections was issued.
“This group of highly qualified leaders in their own fields of expertise and their communities have put their hands up in joining The People’s Alliance for the, sometimes, thankless task of rebuilding Fiji into a nation that we can all be proud of,” he said.
“Together, they are experts in the fields of commerce and finance, rural and community development, public administration and civil service, education, law, agriculture, even specialised skill-sets as in climate financing, diplomacy and international relations.”
Party leader and former prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka said with a runaway national debt of $10 billion and counting, coupled with the widening gulf of the “haves and the have nots” and the deteriorating state of roads, constant power cuts, continuously disrupted water supply, appalling state of public health facilities and schools, “Fiji needs all the experts it can get”.
“This is what sets us at The People’s Alliance apart,” he said.
“Our line-up is drawn from men and women who are experts in their fields.
“People who are expected to roll up their sleeves, and work.
“Get in and have their hands dirty, doing the work themselves.
“For we certainly are not going to be your ‘lave liga squad,’ needed in Parliament only for voting numbers.
“Gone will be those days.”
