The Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) is expected to appoint a new party leader at its special general meeting at the end of this month and party general secretary Emele Duituturaga says it’s time to “become open and look at the next generation of leaders”.
She said former prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s tenure as party leader had lapsed, along with the positions of president and two vice-presidents.
“We need to school the next generation of politicians to be suitably qualified, to be people-centred, to have the heart for the nation, and not come and do it for the money but because we all want a Fiji called home,” she said.
Ms Duituturaga said the post was already advertised and was consistent with the party constitution — that the post becomes vacant when the party loses a general election.
“The constitution also states that on the second annual general meeting after the last general election, the party selects another party leader to prepare the party for the next general election,” she said.
“So we are just following those provisions.”
She said when Mr Rabuka resigned in November 2018, the party was headed towards a Court of Disputed Returns and the management board decided it was best he continued in the position to deal with the post-election issues.
Ms Duituturaga said the party management board was of the view that the casual vacancies were to be extended until the special general meeting on July 25, 2020. She says she will write to the Registrar of Political Parties, Mohammed Saneem, to explain the party’s position.
According to Mr Saneem, SODELPA was now in a constitutional crisis because the casual vacancies of the president and vice-presidents had lapsed.
Yesterday, Mr Rabuka urged all loyal party supporters to stand united and firmly with the party.
“I will walk around town, meet old and young friends, blend with the crowd but the thing I will not do is play the mini mini minimo game of I’m leader, I’m not leader.
“Remember, I’m staying — as lead scout or as tail-end Charlie.”
