SODELPA advises the Speaker that Mosese Bulitavu’s seat in Parliament be deemed vacant while moves underway to expel him from the party

SODELPA says it has today delivered a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, evoking Section 63 (1)(h) and Section 63 (3) of the 2013 Constitution, advising the Speaker that SODELPA MP, Mosese Bulitavu’s seat in Parliament be deemed vacant.

General Secretary of SODELPA, Lenaitasi Duru says the Secretariat, through the Management Board is also following up on the party’s constitutional provisions to seek Bulitavu’s expulsion from the SODELPA.

He says this is consequential to Bulitavu’s blatant disregard for a party directive to its Members of Parliament in relation to the party stand on Bill 17 and the 2021/2022 National Budget.

Duru says the SODELPA Parliamentary Leader and Leader of Opposition, in his opening speech, had given the official party stand, which is aligned to the collective agreement of members of the party caucus, following workshops conducted the week prior to the Budget debate.

Duru says Bulitavu’s public address against the party directive and subsequent public utterances is indicative of one-upmanship.

He says SODELPA is a team, united in vision and united in purpose.

The General Secretary says the SODELPA Executive and Board will not tolerate any willful act that will bring disrepute to the party leadership and tarnishes the party’s public image.

He says Bulitavu has been officially informed that there has been a complaint lodged against him and that the Management Board through a majority endorsement have approved the institution of the investigation process against him.

Duru says Bulitavu has also been duly informed that the Investigation/Disciplinary team will be communicating with him.

Bulitavu’s queries sent to the media will be addressed by the disciplinary team.

Duru says Bulitavu and all SODELPA MPs need to understand that they were voted into Parliament via a majority i-Taukei voters.

He says it is therefore pertinent that their conduct reflects the wishes of the majority members of the party.

Duru says there is no place for individualism especially when the issues tabled in Parliament are of the greatest importance to their supporters.

Bulitavu had supported the 2021/2022 National Budget and the Bill to Amend the iTaukei Land Trust Act in parliament last week.

He is yet to comment on SODELPA’s announcement.