Analysis:

Ro Filipe Tuisawau will go down in history as the first Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) president to hold his first official press conference to announce that he has lodged a Police report against two journalists.

It will also be noted in our history books that as he was holding this press conference, his Member of Parliament Mosese Bulitavu was giving his own comments to members of the media calling Indo-Fijian women in rural areas as promiscuous. Ro Filipe will also be known for the four-sentence long statement he released, co-signed by Mr Bulitavu giving a rather “hollow apology”.

It is not the Fiji Sun, which is saying that Mr Bulitavu’s apology was hollow. This term has been used by staunch SODELPA supporter from afar, lawyer Rajendra Chaudhry, posted it up at 10.45pm on Friday.

He is not the only SODELPA supporter calling on the Party to act and remove Mr Bulitavu from the Party and Parliament. He is one of many who are saying this, including former SODELPA Youth president Pita Waqavonovono.

One thing is for sure, if a FijiFirst MP had said something like this, by now that MP would have been out of the Party and from Parliament. In fact, as assistant iTaukei Affairs Minister Selai Adi Maitoga said, she would have led the charge in calling for that person’s removal.

Mr Bulitavu has already said he was not going anywhere. The ball, really, is now in Ro Filipe’s court. What else would he want to be remembered for? The one who made excuses for Mr Bulitavu or the one who stood up and did something (apart from lodging Police complaints against journalists)?

But what can Parliament do?

One thing is certain. This is not the end of this matter. Fijians from the world over have united in calling for Mr Bulitavu’s removal.

Does the Parliamentary Privileges Committee have any say in this matter? Can this matter be referred to the Privileges Committee? Should it be?

While that is yet to be disclosed, one thing is for sure, #BulitavuMustResign #ResignBulitavu #BulitavuResign is trending on social media and the world is watching closely.

Edited by Naisa Koroi

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