Women candidates speak on whether the GCC should return

The Fiji Labour Party and National Federation Party say they believe there needs to be consultation before a Government decides to reinstate the Great Council of Chiefs while the People's Alliance, SODELPA and Unity Fiji say if elected, they will reinstate the GCC.

While responding to a question on their stand on racial unity, GCC and iTaukei rights during a debate between women candidates of these parties on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan, People’s Alliance Deputy Party Leader, Lynda Tabuya says in the first 100 days in Government they will reinstate the GCC but they believe that their role and how they are now relevant should be left to the chiefs to discuss and decide.

Tabuya says one of the greatest gift the i-Taukei has given to our people is to provide native land in our urban centres that has housed not just the 14 provinces but also all races who have needed land when they could not afford it.

She says the GCC can be and is relevant for everyone that lives in Fiji and if there is anything that they will promote that is how we can continue to look at land use and how we can have it available for everyone that lives in this country.

National Federation Party candidate Lenora Qereqeretabua says they must consult widely on the role of the GCC and it is something the new Government must work to support.

She says the NFP’s vision is for a friendly, reformed and efficient system of the iTaukei administration. Qereqeretabua says they need to talk to all the indigenous communities.

The NFP candidate adds the new government must support the encouragement of our own languages and dances.

SODELPA candidate Ana Rokomokoti says the mere fact that you have provincial councils existing till today and coexisting with other public systems in place is a testament that this is not racist.

Rokomokoti says we need to accept that a significant number of our population still live in villages and live under the provincial administration.

She also says she does not believe that the setting up of the GCC automatically means racial disharmony.

She says SODELPA’s policy for the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs includes consultation regarding the iqoliqoli issues and aligning the Vola Ni Kawa Bula as a basis of naturalisation of the iTaukei.

She says they also want to review provincial councils and the vanua set up, review lease conditions on native land development, they have budget allocation for Turaga ni Koro and settlement headman and they also feel there is a need to review the Fijian administration system, provincial economic development is also something SODELPA policy.

She further says the idea that SODELPA has is to use this forum to safeguard the interest of the Vanua and those things that are only unique to the i-Taukei.

Rokomokoti adds in the i-Taukei Affairs Act there is a provision for the Minister to set up such councils so the idea is to have a i-Tuakei Affairs Board operating under the law to make consultation before it is endorsed if the people want it endorsed.

Unity Fiji Candidate, Litiana Bulivou says they want the GCC reinstated and then to enhance their roles by giving them opportunities to have further studies to help them carry out their roles better as leaders of the vanua.

She says they will realign their roles so they can help the Government achieve economic development and help out with social problems.

Fiji Labour Party candidate Taina Rokotabua says the decision to have the GCC back on board lies solely with the iTaukei and the 14 provinces of Fiji.

She says the Government will only support them.