At least half of the 17 FijiFirst party Members of Parliament will remain as independent MPs, according to recent developments.
Opposition MP Mosese Bulitavu announced his decision to stay as an independent MP after the deregistration of the FijiFirst party on Monday. Mr. Bulitavu also expressed his commitment to support key government initiatives.
“I can confirm that about eight to ten of us will remain independent to advance the country in areas such as passing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and reviewing the 2013 Constitution,” Mr. Bulitavu stated.
He clarified that he does not intend to join any political party. “I will not join the Prime Minister’s political party or any other party because the rules and constitution are not clear,” he asserted.
Mr. Bulitavu pointed out that the drafters of the 2013 Constitution had not anticipated a situation involving independent MPs and their cooperation with the Government. “The Speaker asked us last month to inform him individually about our status—whether we would join any party or remain independent,” he explained, indicating they would submit their responses on Wednesday.
In discussions with other MPs, Mr. Bulitavu saw this as a chance for national unity under the Government. “We need to establish the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as a path for our leader, Voreqe Bainimarama, who is serving his prison sentence, to seek forgiveness and spend time with his family,” he emphasized. He also called for addressing the issues in the 2013 Constitution.
Mr. Bulitavu revealed that the party had ample time to respond to the Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa, but lacked the authority to amend the Constitution as all the founders had resigned. “The office bearers, who were the founding members, were active when we received the letter from the Supervisor of Elections, but they chose to resign,” he said.
He mentioned that they sought legal advice on how to salvage the party but did not have the authority to act. Some businessmen offered assistance to clear the party’s debt, but this was declined. “When businessmen get involved in the party, they want to influence the board and make decisions for their own benefit, which was the culture in the past where they determined the direction,” he said. “We do not want this to happen at the expense of our voters’ interests in advancing the country.”
Mr. Bulitavu added that they would seek further legal opinions today and asked FijiFirst voters for their continued support.