The late former Party Leader and Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase

More information has come to light about concerns over infighting that has caused a split in the Social Democratic Liberal Party.

The late former Party Leader and Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase who was instrumental in forming SODELPA, shared his concerns over the future of the Party.

Qarase confided in his former employee from the banking days, Parmesh Sharma who has shared some private conversations he had with the late Laisenia Qarase, where the former Prime Minister expressed disappointment with the infighting in SODELPA and was distancing himself from the party.

Current Party Leader Sitiveni Rabuka while agreeing that Qarase would have been concerned over SODELPA’s current state, doubts that he would have taken any drastic steps.

“I would doubt that he went into the depth that Parmesh has said. I’ll respect the good that I saw in him when he was alive rather than believe that he had a sword out for me while he was still alive.”

Sharma goes on to claim that as early as four months ago, Qarase shared a thought with him about the possibility of forming another party that shared his vision and solidified the thinking of the people.

Sharma in his facebook post says Qarase thought he may need to form a break way party as his final attempt for the service to the people of Fiji.

He adds the former prime Minister was always conscious of the fact that he was leading SDL during the events of 2006 and believed he owed it to everyone to restore what he thought was the best vision for Fiji.

Rabuka says Qarase never shared any such concerns with him.

“Telling others it’s better to form another Party, I’d like to give Mr Qarase the benefit of my understanding of his character. If he had thought that, we would have come to me.”

Sharma also claims that Qarase felt that certain individuals let SODELPA down and discipline was the answer. He thought a review of the SODELPA constitution could be a way forward.