The Coalition Government’s “honeymoon period is long overdue”, says former prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry.
Speaking to party members in the weekend in Nadi, the Fiji Labour Party leader said Government should now take stock of where the nation was headed, deliver on their promises and the aspirations of Fijians.
“As a political party, it is our bounded duty to hold the Government accountable to its electoral promises to the voters and the edicts of good governance,”Mr Chaudhry said.
“Labour has diligently discharged the function in the past 11 months, we are unfortunately not in Parliament, thanks to electoral skullduggery.
“Nevertheless, we have done our duty in holding our rulers accountable at all times — often doing the work of official opposition.”
Mr Chaudhry said there were Government MPs who brushed the FLP off as a spent force or irrelevant.
“I put them on notice today, make no mistake, Labour is no spent force.
“That is something our detractors already know, often to their embarrassment, Labour has kept this Government on their toes as we did to FijiFirst. “We are here to serve the people and we did that with utter commitment and sincerity.”
The party leader said for the past 38 years through coups, repressive governments and intimidating security forces, Labour had been the unfailing voice of the people — the workers, the farmers, the small businessmen and the poor and needy.
“When necessary we speak for big business interests as well,” he said.
Mr Chaudhry said the party had fearlessly and courageously spoken out against corruption in high public office, repressive and draconian laws, injustices against the people and exploitation of the weak.
“No government can afford to ignore the Labour Party. We speak for the people. We will be there demanding accountability and transparency every step of the way.
“That is my message to those who make the mistake of arrogantly brushing Labour off as irrelevant. Or telling us to shut up or resorting to personal attacks when they have no answers to our questions. Let that be clear to those in government.”
