Page 11 - IBs November 2022

Fiji Votes

A CASE OF YOUTH APATHY OR

ACTIVISM?

By Samantha Magick were asked to serve food or move
chairs, but were not often found on 55% of young
Young voters again have the opportunity to determine the speaking panels. people 18-10 have
result of Fiji’s election and the direction of the country in “The disenfranchising of young ‘a little’ interest in
December, but many feel that political parties and candidates voters is not because they are
have failed to address the issues that really matter to them. turned off, but because you are politics. 25% have
‘a lot’ of interest.
“If they want to reach out to the youth, I feel like they turning them off,” he asserted.
should have someone good in our age group, between 18 to Bhim notes that other factors (FEO 2022 Pre-Election
Voter Survey Report)
25, to talk to us,” says first-time voter, Mohammed. have also contributed to this di-
It’s a common refrain, young people don’t see themselves vide, saying democracy “is sup-
reflected in the candidate line-ups or public face of parties, posed to be a continuous activity of informing your leaders
despite the presence of youth wings in a number of the larger what you want, holding them accountable, negotiating with
and longer-established political parties. them, liaising with them, communicating with them. And
50.57% of Fiji’s registered voters are 40 years of age or these are all part of how citizens actively take part in the
younger according to the Fiji Elections Office. 27.69% of these decision-making process of their country. But I think because
are aged between 18-30. By sheer volume of numbers, they of the kind of situation that we’ve had in the country, cam-
will decide the results, if they are inspired to lodge their bal- paigning, lobbying, etc is somehow not regarded as part of
lots on December 14. activities citizens can legitimately engage in.”
Interviews, physical forums and rallies, and social media She says the political environment has not been enabling in
indicate these voters are concerned about jobs, the cost of other ways.
living, housing, and the environment, amongst other issues. “In Fiji, we have not had protests, and we don’t have town
The Fiji National University (FNU) has been running a youth council elections. And what is happening is that people are
voter and elections education pro- not getting a chance to take part in electoral activities at a
gram for several months, incorpo- minor scale. I think it’s very important that people are al-
50.57% of Fiji’s rating workshops on understanding lowed to take part in elections activities at a lower level.”
registered voters the electoral system, essay, drama However Bhim believes being able to participate in smaller
are 40 years of age and debate competitions, and a elections would give more young people the chance to get
or younger. public discussion on the 2022 polls. involved in the political process, and gain experience before
FNU Assistant Professor, Mosmi participating as candidates and officials at the national level.
27.69% are Bhim says the program was de- In 2009, the military government abolished town and city
aged 18-30. (FEO)
signed to improve understanding councils and appointed special administrators at the munici-
of the voting and election process, pal level. There have been no local government elections
and of Fiji’s history of electoral since then.
systems. In his recent book Youth in Fiji and Solomon Islands: Liveli-
“My impression was that majority of them did not know hoods, leadership and civic engagement, Australian-based
what’s a single national constituency,” she notes of the par- academic Aidan Craney interviewed youth activists and
ticipants. “They did not know that Fiji had one house, [that] advocates. He notes three main challenges, “disconnection
our parliamentary system was a unicameral system.” between the aims and outputs of formal education, dissuasion
She further notes that the young people they engaged with from engagement in critical thinking and civic engagement,
often didn’t appreciate their power as voters. and a general inertia to addressing youth
“I think people don’t really realise that in a democracy, the Fiji’s issues through policy and programming
citizen is the main actor. It’s not the leader, it’s supposed to unemployment based on evidence.”
be citizen driven.” rate is 5.2% Craney acknowledges that there are
Speaking at the launch of the FNU program, Supervisor of many examples of young people showing
Elections, Mohammed Saneem questioned the genuine com- (World Bank, 2021) leadership on issues of social concern,
mitment to involving youth in politics, saying too often they such as emerging as leaders of the cli-

Islands Business, November 2022 11