Page 11 - IB June July 2024

Politics Politics

Ratuva (former Fijian academic and Pro-Vice Chancellor,
Pacific and Director of the Macmillan Brown Center for Pacific
Studies at the University of Canterbury) puts it.
Beyond that, the FijiFirst saga brings to the forefront some
key takeaways for the current Coalition, as well as future
governing arrangements.
As Ratuva puts it, FFP was “top heavy in terms of
centralised control” and since those who were controlling the
central party machine “are no longer in place, the structure
of the party collapsed”.
In a paper published by Griffith Asia Institute, Romitesh
Kant, a PhD Candidate in the Department of Pacific Affairs
at the Australian National University says the scenario
underscores the “double-edged sword of political power”.
“The very laws designed by FijiFirst and the former regime FijiFirst signage is taken down at the party’s headquarters in Suva. Photo: Courtesy
to curtail Opposition parties now threaten the party’s own of MaiTV
survival in a highly restrictive political environment,” Kant
wrote prior to the deregistration. FijiFirst’s demise is a cautionary tale
“The short-term consequences will see FijiFirst MPs about the dangers of centralised power
transitioning to independents or joining other parties, leading and the importance of resilient, inclusive
to significant implications for representation and political political frameworks.
cohesion. Long-term, the dissolution opens a political
vacuum, especially within the Indo-Fijian electorate, which - Romitesh Kant, PhD Candidate, Department of
overwhelmingly supported Bainimarama and FijiFirst.” Pacific Affairs, ANU
In the greater analysis, as Fiji’s political landscape braces
for these changes, the country faces a critical juncture, says Prasad also warned Parliament about the danger of allowing
Kant, because the potential for new coalitions and alliances the committee “to determine our own salaries and allowances
“offers a chance for democratic evolution, emphasising ourselves”, while the party in its submission to the committee
the need for transparency, accountability, and internal said, “the committee should get experts from outside
democracy”. Parliament to get the public’s views since the taxpayer’s
“FijiFirst’s demise is a cautionary tale about the dangers of
centralised power and the importance of resilient, inclusive are footing the salary and allowance bill for the Members of
Parliament”.
political frameworks. The future of Fijian politics now hinges Thus, the NFP’s stand spilling over into a very public spat
on how parties adapt to these shifts and whether they can rise between the governing partners, is, as Catanasiga puts it,
to the challenge of fostering genuine democratic leadership.”
because “they have never really had the time to do that
visioning together… to agree on the collective goals, and how
Lack of inclusion to achieve them”.
As is evident from this latest fiasco, no sooner has FijiFirst
After coming under attack from both Rabuka and Tabuya
departed the scene that Fiji appears to find itself on that for being naysayers, Prasad used his Budget address to smooth
learning curve. things over.
Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) Executive Director,
He said the Coalition Government acknowledged that
Vani Catanasiga, an outspoken critic of the government, says people were not adequately informed about the pay hike,
the lack of an inclusive political framework is contributing to and that there should be a reasonable period of public
the problems in the governing three-way Coalition, referring consultation on increase in salaries for MPs in the future.
to the NFP breaking ranks to vote against the pay rise. “The vote taken last month on parliamentary pay rises
“Everyone was so focused on removing the last government,
they didn’t really anticipate the kinds of discussions that was deemed as deeply unpopular. We are not blind to the
commentary in the mainstream media, on social media and
would emerge from having a Coalition,” says Catanasiga. “So, planned protests and the petitions,” he told Parliament.
it just speaks to a lack of foresight within the three parties.” Although the Budget announced public sector pay rises
Catanasiga says the deficiencies in the Coalition can be
fixed if “they all agree on the goals” they want to achieve and a negligible hike in the minimum wage, it does not take
away from the longer-term structural problems of leadership
instead of having “a clash of principles” manifesting in the staring Fiji’s politicians in the face, such as the leadership
way that has played out. being “built mainly around patriarchal ideas”, according to
NFP Leader, Professor Biman Prasad, said that their five MPs
voted against the salary increase because the party felt “the Catanasiga.
“Power becomes stronger when you devolve leadership
Emoluments Committee lacked independence”.
[and] responsibilities to your members. And I don’t see that

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