UPDATE: It was Sefanaia Sakai but he says he reconciled with Bainivalu over a bowl of kava - it was 'healthy but heated exchange over the issue of land'- but were punches exchanged?
Sakai - was it him? The president of the regime-backed FijiFirst party, Jiko Luveni, says she has reported a party nominee after he was involved in a confrontation at a party rally last month.
Dr Luveni says she understands a punch was thrown and swearwords uttered between two men, one the party’s nominee Nemani Bainivalu, over frustration at the answer given to a question.
She says she did not see the confrontation as she had her back to it when men and women separated for discussions after the meeting, but it needs to be viewed in a cultural context.
“If you understand the personalities and behaviour of iTaukei, such an incident can be brushed aside especially between two men. If it was to a woman I would have reacted. It was an isolated case of two people who knew each other well. The next morning it’s all back to normal.”
Dr Luveni who is also the Minister for Women and Social Welfare says the Prime Minister has addressed the issue and Mr Bainivalu remains a nominee for FijiFirst. Source: Radio NZ International.
Fijileaks Editor: Was the victim Sefanaia Sakai, School of Government, Development and International Affairs, USP? Sakai, from Yasawa Irara, was allegedly a fervent coup supporter during the early days of the 2006 takeover of the Qarase government.
Dr Luveni says she understands a punch was thrown and swearwords uttered between two men, one the party’s nominee Nemani Bainivalu, over frustration at the answer given to a question.
She says she did not see the confrontation as she had her back to it when men and women separated for discussions after the meeting, but it needs to be viewed in a cultural context.
“If you understand the personalities and behaviour of iTaukei, such an incident can be brushed aside especially between two men. If it was to a woman I would have reacted. It was an isolated case of two people who knew each other well. The next morning it’s all back to normal.”
Dr Luveni who is also the Minister for Women and Social Welfare says the Prime Minister has addressed the issue and Mr Bainivalu remains a nominee for FijiFirst. Source: Radio NZ International.
Fijileaks Editor: Was the victim Sefanaia Sakai, School of Government, Development and International Affairs, USP? Sakai, from Yasawa Irara, was allegedly a fervent coup supporter during the early days of the 2006 takeover of the Qarase government.
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