The Fiji Labour party (FLP) is looking to have at least 25 per cent of women in their provisional and final candidate list to contest the 2022 General Election.

Party leader, Mahendra Pal Chaudhry, said for any new developing and progressive Government and country, all sections of the wider community which involve the minority groups, must be fairly represented.

Mr Chaudhry said during the Labour Government in 1999, they had three women cabinet ministers and two assistant ministers that ensured that women’s voices were always heard.

He said they continued to campaign with its senior members, youths and women representatives because these groups played vital roles in their meetings.

However, gaining a reasonable youth culture within the party would take a while because of their current setup and the reluctance of youth wishing to enter politics.

“Youths fear the risks involved and we will not be able to attract them until a truly democratic framework is established in the county,” he said.

The former Prime Minister reckons: “Youths want to progress and develop in a more secure, peaceful, stable and prosperous environment
and our party is focused on living up to these expectations once in power.”

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He said they were still in the process of finalising their provisional candidate list for the election.

“There is no need to rush now that the elections appear to be delayed towards the end of the year,” he believed,” he said.

Mr Chaudhry, who is also the National Farmers Union (NFA) General Secretary, said they were currently engaged in sorting out their member’s sugarcane harvesting problems.

He said once these problems were sorted, then FLP would commence with its election campaigning in Taveuni, Bua, Nasarawaqa, Dreketi and Seaqaqa areas.

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