Salabula: Still undecided June 18, 2013 | Filed under: Fiji News | Posted by: newsroom By ROSI DOVIVERATA Losena Salabula is yet to decide whether to stand in next year’s election. But she is already busy working with the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) interim management team. They are setting up processes and structures within the party – from branch level up to constituency level. A teacher by profession, Mrs Salabula believes that it was her training as a school teacher and later as an activist with the Pacific Concerns Research Centre that helped launch her political career. In 2001 she stood in the Laucala Open constituency for the Soqosoqo ni Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party. (SDL) Even though she polled lower than Fiji Labour Party candidate, Dewan Chand in the primary vote, Mrs Salabula won the seat. This is after votes for low-polling candidates were progressively redistributed to other candidates according to pre-arranged electoral agreements, which may be customised by the voters. In 2006 the outcome was the same. She was appointed Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office. What got her into politics “My husband and I love to talk about politics. He wouldn’t stand because he was a very shy person. So after spending seven years with the Pacific Concerns Resource Centre, we decided to give it a go.” She was also inspired by the late Tui Nayau, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara who visited Kanacea District School, on Lakeba in the late 1960s. “I saw how he wanted to improve the livelihood of people, especially those living in the rural areas. So I thought I wanted to do the same. Current occupation “I spend most of my time with the women at the Centenary Methodist Church. I am the leader of the Methodist Women’s Fellowship, since 2008.” The group consists of at least 85 women. Mrs Salabula says she enjoys her work with the women. “We have bring and buy every fortnight to help the women with school fees and things like that.” She also plays a vital role in the set-up of SODELPA. First political experience “It was a very new experience for me. “Elections is a very expensive exercise but I knew I had to be confident. This seat is hardly won by any Fijian but I knew I could do it,” she said. “So I worked hard. I had to know the people on the ground. I have to see their interests and what they suggest. I listened to them. “So it was a very interesting experience.” Mrs Salabula observed that there was a big gap in the social classes in the Laucala Open constituency. “We have the upper class, upper-middle, middle class, lower and the very low. “And we go to them and tell them the truth. There is no need to lie, tell them the truth and nothing else but the truth. Whether you get in or not, tell them. But don’t promise anything” She said she went house to house and was able to set up two Indo-fijian women’s group. “I learnt very quickly how Indo-Fijians conduct politics. You have to know the right buttons to push. These are the kind of things I’ve come to know.” On women “Women should get out of their shells and get involved. Many say they are still waiting for the constitution, some are playing the wait and see game. “The thing that they have to remember is that the people on the ground will be judges – they will see that they do not work hard enough in the sub-branch and branch level.” Mrs Salabula said people will only believe them when they see their work. So people will recognise them. We all have to earn our candidacy. A rather surprising observation made by Mrs Salabula is that women tend to suppress other women. “I have observed that often women vote for men, and men vote for women but women do not usually vote for women. “People hate it when I say it, but generally women are often our own oppressors. “So women have to work hard. If the men can do it, women can do it too.” SODELPA encourages the participation of women and young people as they build up to September 2014. Grassroot support Mrs Salabula firmly believes that like the support they had with the SDL party, SODELPA still enjoys the same grassroot support today. “The way I look at it, people shy away and don’t talk, but deep in them they still support SODELPA. If they could speak freely like before, they would be singing the same song, that they support SODELPA despite the change of name,” Mrs Salabula said. “I travel widely around Fiji and I still hear the same thing, people ask, ‘How’s our party?’” She said this only reaffirms that the support is still there. Progress to Election “I must admit that the progress is slow. There is nothing to show that we will be having elections next year. “There are certain institutions that should be in place – independent institutions to ensure a free and fair elections. This starts with the appointment of the Supervisor of Elections.” Mrs Salabula said other parties are asking, ‘What elections?’. “Some do not believe that it will happen, but for us, (SODELPA) we’d rather prepare ourselves.” Service Mrs Salabula recalls an event while in Cabinet. “We had used up our allocation for assistance to women. “So on my Carpenters account I bought two brushcutters, cooking pots and sewing machines for a number of women groups. “So when we were removed in 2006, I was still paying for these items.”
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:59:29 +0000
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