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Gavoka asks for time as Tabuya hastily denies

December 10, 2020 12:33 pm

SODELPA leader, Viliame Gavoka has asked for time to comment on a letter that was to have been submitted to the Speaker of Parliament in relation to the appointment of Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu as the Leader of Opposition.

While SODELPA Whip, Lynda Tabuya in her haste has pointed fingers at media organizations for publishing the draft letter, claiming it was fake, Gavoka has refused to deny that the letter exists.

Three media outlets including FBC News published the letter today. The letter was to have to been submitted to the Speaker but to date has not been.

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Tabuya claims the letter was fake, but some party sources confirm the letter was actually drafted amongst some members for their input.

The letter sighted by FBC News, had Ratu Epenisa raising a number of concerns to the Speaker.

He says that as the President of SODELPA he was unhappy with the manner in which the party MPs disobeyed the instructions of the Party with respect to the appointment of the Leader of Opposition.

Ratu Epenisa reiterates that despite the communication of the Party, caucus members decided to vote on their preference of Opposition Leader, with 14 voting for Ratu Naiqama disrespecting the Party directive to vote for Gavoka, who eventually only received five votes.

He goes on to say that in the course of their discussions, despite the clear indication that the Party was recommending only one name and that of Gavoka, and that no voting should thus take place either in Caucus or in parliament, the party directive was disregarded.

Ratu Epenisa points out that under the SODELPA Constitution under Section 16, it clearly stipulates that the Party Leader is also the Parliamentary Leader.

He says while the Constitution does not mandate that the Parliamentary Leader be the Party Leader, the Party in its wisdom needs to be able to have semblance and eliminate confusion in the Party and to its voters, by having conflicting messages from two leaders, especially when the Party Leader is an existing MP.

Ratu Epenisa says the five who voted for Gavoka were coerced to go with only one name into parliament chambers and that of Ratu Naiqama.

It is also no secret that Tabuya  did not vote for the position due to her role as Whip.

She also recently lost her role as deputy party leader to a fellow lawyer, Filimoni Vosarogo. She has also been a staunch supporter of the former leader, Sitiveni Rabuka.

Media reports are also this afternoon speculating that some changes are on the cards for the party.