Comments by Tabuya are distasteful and an insult to party members - Ratu Epenisa

SODELPA President Ratu Epenisa Cakobau says comments by SODELPA parliamentarian Lynda Tabuya are distasteful and is an insult to party members who have worked very hard to help retain SODELPA but Tabuya says Ratu Epenisa can accuse her all he wants, the fact remains is that he has failed in his role as the President to unite the party and to deal with the 70 grievances before him which has never been so many before his Presidency.

Ratu Epenisa says the continued attacks by Tabuya calling on the SODELPA Leader Viliame Gavoka and him to resign is a direct attack on democracy and is an insult to the voters who had consistently voted for SODELPA since 2014.

The SODELPA President says Tabuya's utterances are an example of someone who cannot be taught nor listen.

Ratu Epenisa says Tabuya has now displayed that her brand of politics is to create division and doubt and sadly, this is a legacy she will carry with her wherever she goes.

He says as President of SODELPA, he is accountable for his decisions.

Ratu Epenisa says suggestions that party members control or direct him is unfortunate and libelous.

He says perhaps Tabuya is alluding to how she has tried to influence his decision making in the past but has failed.

Ratu Epenisa adds when he entered SODELPA reluctantly in 2020 during the period of suspension, he did so because he wanted to help a burning ship.

He says he is comforted that they have managed to bring SODELPA through that period which threatened to shut down a party that the people of this nation see as an alternative government.

The SODELPA President further says there is a lot of work being done now on the ground which he leads and that includes visiting people to assure them that SODELPA with its values will work very hard to present a genuine democratic government for Fiji.

He says one thing he knows is that 30 years of his life spent living on his island home in Bau has taught him many lessons of humility and service.

Ratu Epenisa says his relations with the vanua and his kinsmen have blessed me with knowledge and the value of loyalty.

He adds this is something he doubts Tabuya would understand.

In response, Tabuya says Ratu Epenisa has taken a heavy-handed approach rather than fostering dialogue and consensus-building to bring about party unity, and that the traditional values based on mutual respect, understanding and dialogue are no longer the cornerstone of the party.

She says she is glad that Ratu Epenisa has stated that she has tried to influence his decision making in the past but failed.

Tabuya adds this confirms that she has brought her concerns to him as President in the last few months, as well as in the management board with him presiding, but this has fallen on deaf ears.

She says at first she was gracious to Ratu Epenisa to give him the benefit of the doubt that he was being used and influenced with ill advice, but his latest media release and personal cheap shot against her defending himself that he is in all this with his eyes wide open has confirmed that he is indeed the mastermind of this treachery, deceit, vote-rigging, bullying, intimidation, and injustice in the party since his arrival as president.

Tabuya says she has been accused of highlighting these issues in public and showing signs of leaving the party, but she is not the enemy here, time is the enemy.

The SODELPA Whip says they have an election to win.

She says they are less than a year away from the writ period.

Tabuya says Ratu Epenisa should do his job and get the AGMs done with the same gusto as he did in the West and let people be democratically represented in meetings.

She also says the Party Leader should do his job and produce that plan and raise funds already so that the party can function.

Tabuya says if they cannot do their jobs, then they should do the honourable thing and resign.

The SODELPA Whip says otherwise she reiterates her call that the Deputy Party Leader Filimoni Vosarogo become the Party Leader.