Page 14 - IBs November 2022

Fiji Votes Fiji Votes

JOBS, DEBT, INFLATION,

REPRESENTATION

THE ISSUES CONCERNING OUR YOUTH

Islands Business’ Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti asked young voters about the upcoming elections, and the issues of concern to them.
This is what some of them had to say:

Akansha, 21, from Nakasi, Suva is voting for the second
time. She is interested in the parties’ stand on student
loans, jobs and alleviating poverty. She wants to see a
“progressive leader” in place. “I heard a student, who
chose to be anonymous, from a tertiary institution, [say]
that he or she has graduated in 2021 and they still have
not found a job and how are they supposed to pay those
thousands of dollars, so many thousands of dollars? …And
some of the students who are already working now after
graduating, do not have a stable job.” She says while she Sinal, 20, from Nadi, first
has a lot more to learn about Fiji’s electoral process, her time voters says, “After
awareness has been improved by what she has seen on Covid we saw so many
social media. people were jobless because
they invested so much in
tourism, whereas they could
have invested in agriculture
and other things. So I
think this election is very
important for our future
generations.”

Mohammed, 21, from
Suva has not been inspired
to vote. “If they want to
reach out to the youth, I
feel like they should have
someone good in our age
group, between 18 to 25,
to talk to us. Maybe that
will pull people in... If I see Joeli, 21, is from Ra, with maternal links to Ovalau. He will be voting
that maybe my vote all of a for the first time and used to be a member of the Fiji Labour Party youth
sudden will matter, because group. He hopes to see a change of government and is concerned about
I see that one person who tertiary scholarship repayments and the cost of living. He has attended
was within my age, doing almost all the political party rallies “so that I can know more about the
something.” manifestos and what they intend to do when they go into government.”
He believes the low voter turnout of young people in the last election
shows there’s lots of room for improvement in the way political parties
and officials connect to young voters, and that they need to use social
media to get out to homes and communities to connect with them. He
also wants to see new faces and younger politicians, and a female prime
minister in parliament.

14 Islands Business, November 2022