Social Democratic Liberal Party Leader, Viliame Gavoka.

Social Democratic Liberal Party Leader, Viliame Gavoka, says today’s management board meeting should be a lesson to detractors that the Party machinery will not be swayed easily.

The meeting was abruptly ended after a group of executives failed in their attempt to rail-road today’s proceedings and force a vote to terminate the contract of General Secretary, Lenaitasi Duru.

Gavoka claims this is evidence from the top brass of the Party that their procedures work, and will not be set aside for anyone.

“We have shown today that when we stand on something we will go for it, if people decide to walk out that’s just too bad.”

The SODELPA Leader says allegations against Duru are still under investigation and there was no way the management board would have been forced to take a vote without first seeing the investigation outcomes.

Gavoka has confirmed the committee investigating allegations of perjury against him and Duru will table a report to the Management Board next month, and a decision may be made then.

Earlier today, a faction led by SODELPA MP Lynda Tabuya, including 19 board members walked out of the meeting claiming it had been hijacked.

A disgruntled Tabuya told media outside the venue that today’s meeting was to decide the fate of party General Secretary, Lenaitasi Duru however, President Ratu Epenisa Cakobau stopped the proceeding even though the majority of the board wanted to take a vote.

She claims she had the support of the majority of the board members to have Duru’s contract terminated.

Tabuya says she walked out after it became obvious that their grievance against Duru would not be considered.

“They have hijacked the party and the management board members in making a decision today in terms of making due process of the allegations against the General Secretary and the Party Leader and the Party President, they have stopped it, they ended the meeting, we still have motions going on the floor when he told a member to stand up and say the closing prayer and they stopped the meeting abruptly.”

Tabuya claims Duru has failed to effectively manage the SODELPA office.