Renowned businesswoman Mereseini Samisoni has applied for a ticket to stand in the 2018 General Elections for the Social Democratic Liberal Party.

The 76-year-old from Vanua Balavu said she was still awaiting the party’s decision and hoping they would give her another chance.

“Yes of course, I will stand in the next general elections and for SODELPA of course, I applied for a ticket, I am positive that they will choose me to be one of their candidates.

“I am 76 years old and I have so much to offer this country,” she said.

“I have done a lot for the SODELPA party, the SDL party and the SVT party,” she said.

Ms Samisoni said she supported the idea of unity by SODELPA party leader, Sitiveni Rabuka.

“It is great, there are many common goals in our diverse constituents, there are common goals mainly about bread and butter issues, people want to look after their livelihoods,” she said.

Ms Samisoni said as a business woman there was lot of potential in small and medium businesses. “When you are responsible for your own money, you are more likely to account for it. You are more likely to be thrifty of how you spend your money.

“With the growth of the middle class, we can only develop as a country and the changes that come about, the world today revolves around technology and this is something we should be aware off, it’s about innovation,” she said.

Ms Samisoni said there is nothing wrong with standing up for indigenous rights.

“Indigenous rights is not racism, its values in terms of our stories, leadership, fashion, food, relationships from a collective perspective, there is a lot about collectivism rather than individualism,” she said.

Ms Samisoni said balance in the market economy was also important.

“This is what I bring to the people of this nation, diversity through unity, bringing people of diverse values and ethnic groups,” she said.

Ms Samisoni said the common vision was about bread and butter issues.

She also said that it was very important that people were given the freedom to share their stories.

“It’s important that we must all tell our stories, no one must be afraid to tell their stories, there is even fear in the media. Today it’s about telling your stories and not being afraid.

“The truth will always set you free and if you don’t get the truth out than we are going to be embodied and enslaved. Any community that is enslaved will never grow to its potential,” she said.

Ms Samisoni said her message to the people was not be afraid of the truth.

“Don’t be afraid of finding common values through diversity and do more for our relationships, citizenships and human values. Each ethnic group have their own human values and systems, put that together than only we can develop.

“When people are happy and not afraid, their self-esteem grows too which leads to development in the family and at the political level too,” she said.

Edited by Maraia Vula