SODELPA management board has 14 days to decide whether to side with the FijiFirst or the coalition partners of People’s Alliance and the National Federation Party, with their leader Viliame Gavoka stating that whichever way they go they will not compromise on their policies on indigenous rights, and education including the reinstatement of the Great Council of Chiefs and the cancellation of TELS debt among others.
“We are fully aware of the significance of what we have to ensure that this country has a government in the next few days,” Mr Gavoka said.
“We have had meetings. SODELPA is managed by a management board so whatever happens, the decision we make will be made by the management board.”
The management board will await the recommendations of its 6-member negotiation team led by former MP Anare Jale.
Some of SODELPA’s key Education and Indigenous policies
Education – Key to Fiji’s Peace, Prosperity, and Happiness
- Free Tertiary Education for first degree based on student’s performance
- Cancellation of TELS Debt
- Empowerment of school management such as religious and community-owned schools
- Engage with unions to improve teacher’s working conditions
- Encourage digital learning to allow students to learn at their own pace
- Accredit TVET courses to Aus/NZ
- Compulsory national mentoring service for 18yo and above
- USP grant – nearly $65 million
Indigenous Affairs – $159 million (biggest chunk of SODELPA budget/focus)
- Up from $15 million – budget allocation
- Reinstate GCC
- Remove all decrees and acts discriminatory against iTaukei
- Accept UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UN DRIP)
- Return to the vanua control of the provincial councils
- Revive Rabi Island council
- Restore Rotuma Council full powers
- Conduct an inquiry into the well-being and affairs of the Solomon Islanders/Melanesian communities
- Recognise as villages all Pacific Islander settlements
- Devise ways to secure capital for indigenous business
- Prop up commercial arms of provincial councils
- Empower iqoliqoli owners to improve the issuance of fishing licenses
- VKB to be made an instrument of naturalisation into Fiji
- Set up Multiethnic affairs ministry
- Review the TLTB Act
- More to follow…
