Chaudhry puts election victory at centre of Labour’s agenda

Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry has put winning the next general election at the centre of the party’s agenda, calling on supporters to turn community support into votes.

Speaking at the party’s annual general meeting in Lautoka yesterday, Mr Chaudhry said Labour needed to focus its efforts on preparing for the election.

“What is our mission? Our mission is to win the next elections. So, our focus should be on that,” he told supporters.

Mr Chaudhry said the party needed targeted community outreach, effective organisation and proper logistical preparation to translate support into votes.

He urged eligible supporters to register to vote and those who had moved to update their polling information.

Mr Chaudhry also highlighted recent changes to the Electoral Act, saying party members needed to understand the new campaign rules and comply with the law.

He said candidates and supporters should be educated on the changes to avoid legal pitfalls during the campaign.

The party also plans to use social media and its local committees to regularly remind supporters about voter registration and encourage them to turn out on election day.

Cost of living, services

Mr Chaudhry also criticised the Government over what he described as self-interest, broken promises and a lack of commitment to the people.

He said ordinary Fijians continued to face challenges including the high cost of living, unemployment, poverty, crime and inadequate public services.

Mr Chaudhry argued that despite changes in government, conditions for many ordinary Fijians had not improved and, in some cases, had worsened.

Labour will finalise its candidates before beginning detailed discussions on its policies and campaign messaging.

A unified campaign document will be distributed to candidates to maintain consistency in the party’s messaging during the campaign.