SODELPA MP Lynda Tabuya is prepared to defend her election as president of the Nasinu Constituency.

Speaking to the Fiji Sun yesterday, she said should the issue arise she is prepared to take on any challenge to her election as a result of the SODELPA civil case.

After declaring the 2019 SODELPA Savusavu Annual General Meeting (AGM) as null and void, High Court judge Justice Vishwa Sharma ordered that all subsequent actions, meetings, resolutions, decisions, directives and outcomes of the management board following that AGM is unlawful, invalid and ineffective.

Ms Tabuya said she was chosen as president by the people of Nasinu and not by the party.

“I am challenging that if anyone tries to come forward to do that. On behalf of Nasinu and all the 32 constituencies that we have within SODELPA,” Ms Tabuya said.

“They believe that my presidency within the Nasinu constituency should also be null and void but I’m challenging that, not just for me personally but I think any constituency president or executive should challenge the party on that.

“After the AGM in Savusavu, Nasinu and Bua (constituencies) also had their AGM so we were on track doing our own work regardless of whoever is in the executive, this needs to happen. And the constitution empowers constituencies to have their own elections, that’s recognised in the constitution as an autonomous body that can have its own activities, open its own bank account and make its own decisions.”

She said the SODELPA general secretary Adi Litia Qionibaravi was invited to supervise the elections during the Nasinu AGM, however, the decisions made during the AGM was made by the people and not the party.

“We could have had independent observers and get the supervisor of election so we chose to get the GS but that’s our choice, it doesn’t mean that it’s a decision of the party,” Ms Tabuya said.

She said constituencies were not an appointment by the party, a decision by the party or has any concern about the outcomes of the party.

“Once it gets to constituency level the power of the people works there. Even I, as president, am still bound by the powers of the people. The executive does what’s best for the party they don’t have to always consult the general membership, I have to consult the general membership. I’m always having meetings with the Nasinu council, the branch members and co-ordinators for things that I do, I consult them. It’s people power. It’s the principle of democracy bottom up.”

She said the party’s constitution didn’t enable members to air their grievances or to have a pathway to be heard in order to avoid such things like the SODELPA civil court case.

Edited by Caroline Ratucadra

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