Dr Baba resigns from SODELPA
The Fiji Times, Thursday, February 02, 2017
VETERAN politician and one of the founding members of the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) Dr Tupeni Baba has resigned.
Dr Baba confirmed his resignation from the party yesterday and will join the proposed Hope Party as its adviser ahead of the 2018 General Election. The academic expects other resignations to follow from within the party in the coming months.
"SODELPA has been infested with people who can't move, it's been top-heavy and this (resignation) will create a bit of a movement," Dr Baba said.
He said his reason to leave was because the party got stuck since its former leader Laisenia Qarase was jailed in 2012.
Dr Baba said the party had also gone against its own democratic constitution by appointing Sitiveni Rabuka as its new leader.
"A coup man came in and the essence of SODELPA was democracy, the party to be absolutely democratic. We developed a democratic constitution, everything was decided by majority and then we had a new leadership," he said.
Dr Baba said the party's leadership was rooted in the coup. He said his decision to break away from a party which he started in 2012 was not an easy one, but he had a lot to offer to the proposed party which is women and youth-centred.
Yesterday, party general secretary Adi Litia Qionibaravi wished Dr Baba well. Adi Litia said the resignation would not affect the party.
"SODELPA will continue and we are becoming stronger than ever," she said.
Mr Rabuka had already outlined that if people had any problems with the party to come forward and tell him directly.
The Fiji Times, Thursday, February 02, 2017
VETERAN politician and one of the founding members of the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) Dr Tupeni Baba has resigned.
Dr Baba confirmed his resignation from the party yesterday and will join the proposed Hope Party as its adviser ahead of the 2018 General Election. The academic expects other resignations to follow from within the party in the coming months.
"SODELPA has been infested with people who can't move, it's been top-heavy and this (resignation) will create a bit of a movement," Dr Baba said.
He said his reason to leave was because the party got stuck since its former leader Laisenia Qarase was jailed in 2012.
Dr Baba said the party had also gone against its own democratic constitution by appointing Sitiveni Rabuka as its new leader.
"A coup man came in and the essence of SODELPA was democracy, the party to be absolutely democratic. We developed a democratic constitution, everything was decided by majority and then we had a new leadership," he said.
Dr Baba said the party's leadership was rooted in the coup. He said his decision to break away from a party which he started in 2012 was not an easy one, but he had a lot to offer to the proposed party which is women and youth-centred.
Yesterday, party general secretary Adi Litia Qionibaravi wished Dr Baba well. Adi Litia said the resignation would not affect the party.
"SODELPA will continue and we are becoming stronger than ever," she said.
Mr Rabuka had already outlined that if people had any problems with the party to come forward and tell him directly.
Kepa's pick
The Fiji Times, Thursday, February 02, 2017
AFTER objecting strongly to Sitiveni Rabuka's appointment as leader of Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA), Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa has nominated Rabuka to the Constitutional Offices Commission.
Confirming this in an interview last night, Ro Teimumu said she nominated Mr Rabuka to the commission last week.
She said she was yet to receive a confirmation from the commission secretariat on Mr Rabuka's nomination.
Ro Teimumu's nomination is to replace Suva lawyer Richard Naidu who resigned from the commission in November, 2015.
Mr Naidu resigned as a member of the commission saying he did not want to be a rubber stamp to decisions being made by the commission chairman.
Last year, Ro Teimumu had objected strongly to Mr Rabuka's appointment as the new SODELPA leader.
She strongly voiced her dissatisfaction over his appointment, saying she did not support coup perpetrators.
The commission, established under Section 132 of the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji, is responsible for providing advice to the President for the appointment of a number of Constitutional Offices.
These include the chairperson and the members of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, the chairperson and the members of the Electoral Commission, Supervisor of Elections, Commissioner of Police, Commissioner of the Fiji Corrections Service, Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and the Auditor-General.
The commission members include the Prime Minister who is also the chairperson, the Attorney-General and the Leader of the Opposition.
There are also two persons appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister, who are Sanjay Kaba and Ajith Kodagoda.
And there is one person appointed by the President on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition.
The Fiji Times, Thursday, February 02, 2017
AFTER objecting strongly to Sitiveni Rabuka's appointment as leader of Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA), Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa has nominated Rabuka to the Constitutional Offices Commission.
Confirming this in an interview last night, Ro Teimumu said she nominated Mr Rabuka to the commission last week.
She said she was yet to receive a confirmation from the commission secretariat on Mr Rabuka's nomination.
Ro Teimumu's nomination is to replace Suva lawyer Richard Naidu who resigned from the commission in November, 2015.
Mr Naidu resigned as a member of the commission saying he did not want to be a rubber stamp to decisions being made by the commission chairman.
Last year, Ro Teimumu had objected strongly to Mr Rabuka's appointment as the new SODELPA leader.
She strongly voiced her dissatisfaction over his appointment, saying she did not support coup perpetrators.
The commission, established under Section 132 of the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji, is responsible for providing advice to the President for the appointment of a number of Constitutional Offices.
These include the chairperson and the members of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, the chairperson and the members of the Electoral Commission, Supervisor of Elections, Commissioner of Police, Commissioner of the Fiji Corrections Service, Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and the Auditor-General.
The commission members include the Prime Minister who is also the chairperson, the Attorney-General and the Leader of the Opposition.
There are also two persons appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister, who are Sanjay Kaba and Ajith Kodagoda.
And there is one person appointed by the President on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition.
