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photo: RNZI/Sally Round
A Fijian governance professor and former electoral commission member said the resignation of a founding member of the country’s largest party in parliament was “shocking”.
On Monday, FijiFirst founding member and former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed Khayyum revealed that all senior executives including former Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama had resigned.
Sayyid-Khaiyum Tell local media The decision to resign comes after Fiji First MPs voted to give themselves a pay rise two weeks ago.
“We now have a situation where 17 people voted for a pay rise while the rest of Fiji is suffering… This goes against the principles of Fiji First. To make sure we don’t have this farce again… all these people have decided to leave Fiji First.”
Professor Vijay Naidu, a lecturer at the University of the South Pacific, said there was no indication that this could happen.
“It’s shocking. It’s totally unexpected,” he said.
“It’s a shocking turn of events, there doesn’t seem to be any logic to what they are doing.”
Professor Naidoo said Fiji First was the largest party in Parliament and the “decision made by its founding members was incredible”.
He said Sayyid Khayyum’s reasons for demanding the resignation of party executives were unjustified.
“He said that under the (2013) constitution, once a political party sends a letter to the speaker that a member has not followed the party’s instructions, the speaker should confirm within seven days that they have vacated their seat, but the speaker has not done so.”
However, he said the Registrar of Political Parties, Ana Mataiciwa, had decided that the Fiji First constitution should be amended by June 28 or the party would risk being deregistered because in the current constitution they did have a dispute resolution process.
Matasiwa said that under the Political Parties Act, she did not have any power to interfere in the filling of posts or the general management of any political party and she could only take action if the party broke the law.
“But beyond that, they also alleged some kind of collusion between the Speaker and the Registrar of Political Parties,” Professor Naidu said, adding, “And then they said the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption had been mobilised to search the residence of the acting secretary of the Fiji Party, and they did go and search his home.”
“So, from an individual perspective, these are not reasons enough for these people to resign en masse … and thus cause the party to be in absolute crisis.”
Professor Naidoo said while supporters might sympathise with Sayyid Khayyum and Fiji First, “many will be surprised and disappointed”.
He said without a strong opposition, the coalition government would be undermined as the influence of both minority parties in the coalition would be weakened within the government.
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