‘Everybody has applied’ for candidate ticket: PAP

People’s Alliance Party (PAP) general secretary Sila Balawa says “everybody has applied” for a party candidate ticket.

This includes Cabinet Minister Lynda Tabuya. However, he did not explain why Joni Rayawa from Kadavu was announced before her.

Mr Balawa made the comments today when asked whether Ms Tabuya would also contest under the party.

“You’ll have to wait for the actual announcement by the subcommittee,” he said.

Asked whether Ms Tabuya had also applied to contest, he replied: “Everybody.” He said the next batch of candidates would be announced “very soon”.

Both Ms Tabuya and Mr Rayawa are from Kadavu.

“Lynda’s done a lot for Kadavu, and Joni’s also from Kadavu, and he’s the president of the eastern division for a number of years,” Mr Balawa said.

“So, he’s always been part of the development that happened in Kadavu.”

Credentials missing

The party introduced Mr Rayawa with a focus on improving market access for farmers, creating more jobs for islanders and providing alternative incomes to marijuana cultivation.

However, unlike other candidates presented by the party, his profile did not list his academic or work credentials.

Mr Balawa said the details were held at the party office, which was closed yesterday for the public holiday. He was at home.

“I will have to go and dig up his file,” he said.

He believed Mr Rayawa had technical qualifications, possibly in refrigeration.

“I think it’s refrigeration or something like that,” he said. “But I’ll have to check and make sure.”

Mr Balawa did not say whether Mr Rayawa had an agriculture background, despite farming being one of his key priorities.

Ms Tabuya was removed from Cabinet by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in December 2024. She returned as a Minister in 2025 and has said she wants to contest the 2026 election.