Political parties need new strategies: Dr Durutalo
By ROSI DOVIVERATA
The old political parties have to rethink strategies and broaden their reach ahead of next year’s general elections, says academic expert Dr Alumita Durutalo.
And all parties need to have employment creation as a key platform to attract the new, young voters, she says.
Dr Durutalo recently joined the Indigenous Studies and Pacific Islands Studies programmes at Otago University in Dunedin, New Zealand.
Previously at the University of the South Pacific, Dr Durutalo lectured in Politics and International Relations. One of her courses was on Political Parties, Elections and Democracies in the Pacific.
Here are her thoughts on the progress towards the elections – and how the parties shape up:
Views on registered parties
The formation of parties is a positive step towards the return to representative democracy in Fiji. Political parties play a major role in the process of democratization globally.
Parties are a microcosm of a society and society’s interests. They harness and unify the different and numerous interests that people have and present them in an attractive, realistic and achievable way.
Five or more parties expected to contest next year’s elections
If the new electoral law in Fiji allows for the formation of many parties then having five or more parties would be alright. I believe, that it would be up to the voters to determine which party they think will address their needs individually and collectively as a nation, if voted into power.
New strategies to appeal to voters
Parties will now have to think strategically to consider interests beyond ethnic enclaves. For example, FLP will now have to look beyond working class men like sugarcane farmers and also address the plight of all working and non-working (non-salaried) people.
SODELPA on the other hand has to focus beyond the vanua boundaries and think of the interest of the nation as a whole.
The same applies for NFP. They have to look beyond their normal Indo-Fijian business group and think of the nation as a whole.
Views on the proportional
representation
Proportional Representation voting systems in their three forms of: Party List, Mixed-member Proportional and Single Transferable Vote are strong in the sense they normally fulfill a number of things such as:
·providing more accurate representation of parties
·A better representation for political and racial minorities
·Fewer wasted voted
·Better representation of women
·A high chance of facilitating majority rule
What about independent
candidates
Again, the same applies. If independent candidates can prove to the people that they have a workable solution, then they can be voted in.
Constant change to our voting system
Fiji is not the only country that is constantly changing its voting system. Any system should be changed to suit the reality on the ground.
Voting along racial lines
Given Fiji’s political history, that it was not a settler colony like Australia or New Zealand, it will take time to move away from ethnic voting.
We cannot rush this process but we can educate people, particularly the younger generation on the benefits of moving away from ethnic voting.
Prime Minister’s proposed party
I believe it is not too late to form any party now because at the end of the day it is the voters that will decide. In 1987 for example, the Alliance Party did not expect to lose elections, judging by the number of voters that went through their stalls.
But they were surprised when they lost. Voting through democratic elections is an individual process whereby the voter becomes very powerful on voting day and they can either make or remove a leader instantly through their voting power.
Appealing to new voters
It is the party that can provide the collective needs of young voters. For example, unemployment amongst youths in Fiji, including graduates, is quite high right now.
Parties should come up with solutions on how to create employment for youths.
Last words
Any leader in Fiji should be voted in on the basis of his or her capability to lead a nation and not just an ethnic group. The outcome of any democratic election should be respected and voters can use their voting power to remove unwanted leaders and install desirable leaders.
Dr Alumita Durutalo (left).
Fiji Today FijiTodays Open Forum Blog 
The indigenous people continues to lose ground ever since the settlers csme onto their fishing and hunting grounds in the name of progress but infact they looking for markets,and dumping grounds.
In Fiji the introduction of the communal,
seats,open seats
something that ea enabling for the indigenous race to remain a Activex player in politics given their take it easy lifestyle.
very good article,madam your contribution is balanced and worth reading. i suggest you should not stop here and continue giving transparent advises.
The good doctor may have good intentions. However, she is just supporting the regime charade by suggesting that free and fair elections will take place. They will not.
Durutalo please go and educate the fiji army
Perhaps this second rate academic’ should direct her limited intellect on the real problem in Fiji? A bloated poorly led thug military?
Message for capt Fine in syria…your misus is going to try a fresh tavioka this weekend…..does the name seru rings a bell??? Well, he is the one who will vutuki Robyna vaka vinaka while u hold your M16 over there. Moce Jo.
@Apete Naitini
The indigenous people continues to lose ground ever since the settlers came onto their fishing and hunting grounds in the name of progress – at least the settlers led you cannibals to civilisation otherwise you would still be eating one another……, with half naked grass skirts, etc etc
Because of the settlers Fiji is admired as one of the most developed country in the pacific – you moron
The old political parties have nothing new to offer in the New Fiji under King Voreqe Bainimarama, except for politics of racism and bitterness.
Its high time people of Fiji get together and support a new political party which has a superior vision for Fiji and can create jobs, investments and incentives for women and jobs for unemployed.
Small business opportunities like poultry chicken/duck, vegetable farming, goat farming, sewing clothes, etc should be encouraged.
In addition, the Agriculture ministry should be looking at setting up a vegetable processing plant which could buy veggies off farmers and pack it for overseas exports eg, chillies, chauriya bhagi turned in cubes after processing etc.
In addition, ginger exports to Australia has now being opened and there is a lot of potential for exporting ginger as the price of ginger in Australia ranges from $15 – $25 a kilo.
There is Hugh potential for agricultural exports.
In addition, the new government could negotiate seasonal worker scheme with both Australia and New Zealand governments as there is a high demand for seasonal workers here.
@Bale Raniqa [aka] Nikhil Singh lamusona ,boci.
http://www.fijileaks.com
Regime tells political parties to pay “Pied Piper” Fiji Sun over $40,000 for publishing asset declarations or be De-Registered by 15 July. But non-payment of bills is not a de-registration offence in Aiyaz Khaiyum’s political party decree
10/07/2013
3 Comments
By VICTOR LAL
The illegal regime’s favoured “Pied Piper” newspaper, The Fiji Sun, was given the exclusive right to publish the political parties assets and liabilities and those of office bearers under Aiyaz Khaiyum’s Political Parties Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosure Decree 2013.
Now, the Registrar of Political Parties Mohammed Saneem is demanding from the political parties that they pay Fiji Sun for publishing the advertisements or else they will be de-registered. The non payment of advertising bills is not a de-registration offence under the PPRD.
Fiji SUN wants $26,000 from SODELPA, $7,000 from Fiji Labour Party and $6,000 from National Federation Party. SODELPA’S bill is the highest for it presented detailed declaration running into 26 pages.
SODELPA was sent a bill of $26,000.80, having used up some 22.5 of the pages.That means that each page was costing about $1013.
But why should these parties pay up, for they were not given the choice to publish in the Fiji Times? Nor were the parties told that they had to pay for the adverts. The parties were merely complying with the decree. But, then, we are living in a dictatorship, cheered on by the Fiji Sun which is owned by C J Patel and family. The Sri Lankan, Ajith Kodagoda – holder of various other Government appointed chairmanships – is the financial controller of C J Patel.
The Fiji Sun has a monopoly on government advertising since 2009, with the Commerce Commission looking the other way.
“When good does evil in its struggle against evil, it becomes indistinguishable
from its enemy.” T.S. Elliot
“Justice in the life and conduct of the State is possible only as first it resides
in the hearts and souls of the citizens” : Plato : Ancient Greek philosopher (428/427-348/347
B.C.)
This is so demeaning. It like stripping one of his privacy and exposing it for the world to see. This suppressive treatment will go on to humiliate and emaciate the parties from having strength to stand for elections.
when will these gutless politicians and unionists stop dancing to the regimes tunes???
serves u right u unprincipled lot.
time to put ur foot down and let them disband ur parties and bring this to a head and go marching in the streets like the Egyptians. u gutless Fijians. serves urs all right.
and dakuwanka, when is ur army going to lead the way…the best opportune time is here with the best of the thugs now shooting up in golani heights??
@a naitini and Tinai Miller it wasn’t the settlers, it was the bokala cakobau who started the mess, pliz read history, the problem is, schools in fiji won’t taught the true history of Fiji
its the army that started the mess.