Directions, Perhaps Even

New Parties, New

A 'Grand New Era'

From a Suva correspondent The lali drum sounded at sunset, heralding the lighting of the luau lamps lining the foreshore at Suva’s new Travelodge Hotel. Across the way a smallish crowd of Indians and Fijians, with a scattering of Europeans, sat or stood on the cool green of Albert Park, listening to officials of the newly-named National Federation Party herald a grand new era for Fiji politics.

The November merging of the Federation Party and the small but seemingly determined National Democratic Party formed for Fijians and led by the Castro-esque figure of former union leader Apisai Tora—indicated significant develop ments on the political front.

Reports about the strength of Fijian support for the National Democratic Party conflict consider ably. Some say it has 5,000 members.

Some say more, some less.

Whatever their numbers, Federa tion Party members were glad to welcome these taukei brothers, as they call them, into their midst.

Emphasis at this public meeting in Suva in late November was not so much on common roll or indepen dence—though colonialism won its usual share of ridicule and outrage —but on brotherhood and unity.

And nation-building. (The more one hears these expressions from both sides of Fiji’s political fence, the less meaningful they become).

Defiance

Apisai Mohammed Tora (as he was introduced by the meeting’s chairman, Ratu Mosese Varesekete) attacked what he called “the self regarding Fijian elite” who held the interests of the Fijian people second to their own.

Beard jutting defiantly, he vowed that he and his followers would “never become tools in the private empire-building of any traditional Fijian leader who might have dreams of crowning himself sultan . . .”

Ratu Mosese, whom the anti government newspaper Pacific Review names as its editor, exhorted the Fijian people not to be embarrassed about joining forces with Indians.

Mr. A. D. Patel, the NFP presi dent, said that if Fijians and Indians —representing 94 per cent, of the population—joined together to fight the European vested interests, Fiji would be a nation.

There were the usual platitudes about winds of change and the self ish motives of vested interests—and even, from Apisai Tora, a quotation from Shakespeare.

But underlying it all, beneath the familiar phrases and implausible political promises, was the feeling that here might lie part of the answer to the Federation Party’s dilemma.

It is desperately trying to create a vigorous Fijian-Indian Opposition party.

Other parties

November also saw the formation of another party—the National Political Organisation of Fiji Indians —which will seek affiliation with the governing Alliance Party.

Speakers at a Lautoka meeting ex pressed concern over what one described as the “tactics and ex tremist policies of the Federation Party, which had already created substantial anti-Indian feeling.”

Mr. Vijay R. Singh, who is the Minister for Social Services, was elected president of an interim national executive committee.

And on November 15, in an adver tisement he placed in The Fiji Times, Dr. Lindsay Verrier, MLC—a pro minent figure in the early days of the Alliance Party’s formation—an nounced his defection from the Alliance.

“I announce a new parliamentary party of the centre, called the Liberal Party, and devoted to the

Opposition back in council

political ideals of our great leader Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna,” his adver tisement said.

“It cannot be said that I am ‘leaving the Alliance’, which I helped to establish, for the Alliance has ceased to exist.”

"Ceased to exist"

Dr. Verrier explained later that he felt the Alliance party had ceased to exist because the only body qualified to join it this year was the Fijian Association.

He said other organisations, such as the General Electors’ Association, had lost, or failed to maintain, their rolls of membership, although mem bership was open to any organisation showing 500 members at the start of any year and paying the proper fees.

“The Alliance, therefore has ceased to exist for it has become exactly the same thing as the Fijian Associa tion,” he asserted. “Its constituted council has not met for something like 15 months, and no matters of national government policy have been submitted to it.

“Various plans for reorganisation, some weirder than others, have been put forward. Until something is done, and the public is told about it, the Alliance remains a shadowy cohort remembered from past battles— today, nothing but a name.”

An editorial in The Fiji Times commented that “one-man political parties” were not new in Fiji and the announcement of Dr. Verrier’s in tentions did “not call for any great excitement”.

It didn’t, but it was an interesting move on Dr. Verrier’s part—and a timely one, from the National Federation Party viewpoint.

Legco session

In late November the Legislative Council met, with, for the first time in more than a year, an official Opposition. All nine Federation members who won seats in the recent by-elections were sworn in within 10 minutes of the opening of the council. There were no incidents and no indication that the Federation members would again walk out of the council, as they did in September last year, eventually forfeiting their seats.

The new meeting was the budget one. The 1969 budget, delivered by Minister of Finance Mr. H. P.

Ritchie, proposed expenditure of a record $F42,030,523—$F3 V 65 million more than the sum authorised for this year. However, there will be no increase in taxation.

The budget allocates a little over 5F32.1 million for recurrent ex penditure and $F9.9 million for capital expenditure. Mr. Ritchie des cribed the economy’s immediate outlook as “healthy”, and said that future prospects were more favour able than for some time. To enable this state to continue, he said, political and economic stability was essential.

He added that as a result of the report of the World Bank economic mission, Fiji’s prospects for borrow ing from the bank were encouraging —there were prospects for a loan for the Suva/Nadi road project. (Also included in estimates for 1969 was provision for payment of con sultant’s fees in respect of the pro posed road).

(Continued on p. 140)

Mr. Ritchie drew attention tot heavy expenditure on social and community services, which together took up 42.5 per cent, of the budget! and said; “This is an extremely high figure and one which Fiji cannot! afford for more than a few years”.

He disclosed that although it was not included in the 1969 budget, the Nauruan Government had recom mended to the trustees of its funds for investment a loan to the Fiji Government of $A2.25 million in 1970.

Outlining external aid received b> Fiji, Mr. Ritchie mentioned Aus tralia’s gift of 14,000 tons of wheal announced on November 21, anc said that Fiji was receiving an im pressive degree of outside aid.

However, he warned that the rate of growth in overall expenditure was still too high for 1969 and could noi continue without additional taxatior —which might not be in the bes interest of economy. He added tha: the rate of growth of recurrent ex penditure for 1970 should be furthei curtailed.

Mr. Ritchie said that earning: from 1968 exports were likely to be better than for 1967, and that highei world prices for sugar were likely to raise Fiji’s export income consider ably.

Indian Minister's visit

During his four-day goodwill visi to Fiji in November, India’

Minister for Labour, Employmen and Rehabilitation, Mr. Jai Sukhla Hathi might have said a great dea about the position and future o Fiji Indians, particularly the politica ambitions of some.

In the absence of Mrs. Indir; Ghandi herself, he might well havi revealed the Indian Government’s at titude towards recent demands fo deportation of Federation Part; Indians. He didn’t of course. H< trod a diplomatic tightrope, sayinj only that he was confident that th current problems would be resolve* amicably. The purpose of his visit he said, was “to cement the ties o friendship and goodwill that exis between Fiji and India”.

Afterwards, he issued a statemen saying that he was greatly by the wisdom and sincerity of al the leaders he had met in Fiji.

“I feel confident of their evoly, ing a multi-racial society in Fi; based on principles of tolerance an mutual accommodation,” he said.