FLP targets rural voters to challenge ‘Indo-Fijian party’ image

Educating voters in rural communities about the multiracial identity of the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) remains a key part of its campaign to address the perception that it is an “Indo-Fijian” centric party.

FLP North representative candidate Alan Tuinasoni said the party had adopted a house-to-house meet-and-greet approach as part of its upcoming General Election campaign strategy.

Mr Tuinasoni said the party had started campaigning early to allow more time to connect with grassroots communities and clarify what the FLP stood for.

“For majority of our iTaukei community, FLP is perceived as an Indian or Indo-Fijian party which is a misconception, so we are trying to address this gap,” he said.

“People still perceive that there are two Indian parties running, FLP and National Federation Party (NFP), we are trying to get rid of this mindset because we are multiracial party.”

Residing at Eniketi settlement in Vunivau, Labasa, Mr Tuinasoni said he had begun meeting and discussing with members of the iTaukei community how the FLP would be effective if elected into Government.

While other political parties had adopted large-scale gatherings for their campaigns, Mr Tuinasoni said FLP in the North believed in person-to-person interaction.

“You may have seen other parties engaged in discussing their views in groups, but, we have opted to start with individual visits,” he said.

His decision to contest the 2022 election under the FLP banner was based on the multiracial unity it represented. He believed Government should be managed by a multiracial group of leaders.

He said leadership within a vanua must and would always be confined to iTaukei, but electing a Government should involve consideration of all races.

Mr Tuinasoni conceded that the FLP received less voter support in past elections but said he aimed to increase support for the party.

He said the party had identified 14 locations or villages it would visit to highlight its policies, challenge the misconception about the party and promote its multiracial government ideology among villagers.

He said party leader and former prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry was expected to visit the identified locations.

“We have done our arrangements and we just here waiting for him to give us his dates of arrival,” Mr Tuinasoni said.