Page 15 - IBs November 2022

Fiji Votes Fiji Votes

Bobby, 35, from Ba, is not sure if he will vote as he is
discouraged by what he says are broken promises. Rowena,
20 and from Suva, is worried that she will ‘make the wrong
decision’ and would like to know more about what the parties
are offering to address unemployment and inflation. Their friends
Roselyn and Karishma (both 23) intend to vote because they
want to influence change. “We need to be open minded …it’s an
opportunity for us to see the change that we want,” Karishma
said. She is concerned about the cost of living and employment, Ioane, 23, from Wailoku
saying “we can see that there’s a lot of graduates sitting at home wants to vote for a gov-
and still in search for a job, they don’t have enough earnings to ernment that will fight for
cater for themselves.” Roselyn would like to see an increase in the rights of Fiji’s youth.
the minimum wage. This group also mentioned the issues their He’s concerned about em-
elders had discussed with them, such as pension payments and ployment, the cost of liv-
disability access. ing (including fuel prices)
and housing affordability.
“Especially if it’s a young
adult, it’s very difficult to
buy a house, especially in
the urban areas.” In dis-
cussions with family and
Jessica, 21, from Suva wants to see younger friends, he says the crime
candidates standing for election. “The generations rate and ice street fights
have an older mindset, which is wisdom, is also come up as issues.
good, they do have wisdom, but then it kind of
mismatches with what we need right now, what
this generation needs right now and implemented
to prosper.”

Vani, 26 and from Naitisiri,
says she “doesn’t feel like
voting this year. It’s too late,
we’ve been waiting for a
whole year and it’s like it
will spoil Christmas for me.”
She also has doubts about Bill, 27, from Ba is a social worker and student voting for the
the integrity of the process. third time. He is still thinking about who he will vote for, as he
Even so, she is concerned doesn’t hear them talking about ‘real issues’ like unemployment,
about environment issues, education and brutality/violence. “Many of the politicians
especially the cutting actually standing now, I know they’ve been missing in action
down of trees, cultivation for how many years, [then] during the election, they pop up.
and building on land, And they expect us to vote for that. But, what actually are
asking “what will the next we going to vote for? They haven’t done any community work.
generation have…. they They haven’t been there for the community.” His question for
should just leave our land politicians is “how true are you to your words…will you address
alone.” the actual issues we are raising? [Will you] be transparent with
your work?”

Islands Business, November 2022 15