Between The Lines, October 8, 2018

NO FREE MEALS

Everyone who took to Fa­cebook to claim that people turned up at the first FijiFirst family day did so because of free food are grossly mistaken.

There was no free food and no free yaqona either.

Perhaps some political parties find it hard to fathom that peo­ple would turn out in numbers without being offered food and yaqona.

MAY THE BEST TEAM WIN?

As the countdown continues to the November 14 General Election many prayers are be­ing offered in churches, behind pulpits, community halls and homes just like they happened in 1987, 1999 and 2014

Generally the prayers go something like this “please God help us choose a Government that will bring peace, stability and prosperity to our beloved nation. Thine will be done”.

It was also generally accepted that in 2014 it was the will of God that many Fijians gave the FijiFirst their mandate to form the Government, despite some politicians disputing the elec­tion results.

The attitude should be the same in this election.

Everyone should accept the election outcome because it’s God’s will.

As they say in sports, may the best team win.

JIGSAW PUZZLE ...

Some SODELPA members are still scratching their heads after they heard that party president Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu had changed his mind and would now be contesting the election.

They heard it being whispered at the Nawanawa special gen­eral meeting in Nadera – that Ratu Naiqama was being pro­posed as party leader in case the incumbent, Sitiveni Rabuka, loses his court case.

But, no one took it seriously, except for a few, because it drifted into the meeting like a normal rumour.

They later read it in the Fiji Sun but thought of it as a specula­tion because it was too good to be true – especially when a few days after that party leader Siti­veni Rabuka came out on FBC TV and announced that Ratu Naiqama would not be contest­ing the election.

.....THE FINAL PIECE

In the very next breath, Mr Rabuka said, however, the door was still open for Ratu Naiqama if he wanted to change his mind and run for the election.

And Mr Rabuka said words to the effect that the working committee would facilitate it.

So when he named Ratu Naiqama in the final provisional candidates list, it was the final piece in the jigsaw puzzle.

Ratu Naiqama and his son Dr Ratu Antonio Lalabalavu are