What Labour would do

The Labour Party’s stand on major issues: •Land: The FLP wants to establish a National Land Commission to encourage the use of unused crown land, native and freehold land. The commijssion would either lease or buy land from owners or other agencies. •Industry: The party favours nationalisation of the gold mining and sugar industries and the public transport sector relating to schools use. • Foreign investment: It’s welcome, but Labour would seek to discourage tourist industry developers who take on local partners to exploit Fiji’s supply of capital. • Employment: The FLP, like its brothers and sisters elsewhere, believes in the right to work. The party would award priority to projects with the greatest potential to provide work for Fijians. •Industrial relations: The party hopes to review the system so that the working environment is acceptable to all in order to increase the nation’s wealth with equitable shares for all. • Housing: The party believes adequate housing is a fundamental right for every citizen and, if returned to power, would establish a policy to meet the country’s housing needs. • Education: Labour affirms the right of all to education which it sees as vital for development. The party would promote pre-schooling in all areas, provide compulsory free education up to year 10 (form 4), upgrade and diversify technical and vocational training in different parts of Fiji. • Health: No distinction between wealthy and poor in medical care. Labour would increase reed expenditure on health services, improve conditions for medical personnel, strengthen publicly owned and operated services and improve the supply and control of drugs. • Women and youth: Labour would promote equality for women and youth in all spheres and would set up machinery supported by legislation to that end. • Welfare: The FLP wants to see adequate welfare support for the weakest members of society and would increase assistance to the elderly, destitute and needy. The assistance would be CPI-linked. • Security: Labour would increase police strength and equipment • The environment: Labour says it realises that uncontrolled economic development has resulted in extensive and irreversible damage to the environment and would try to ensure that exploitation of natural resources would have consideration for the environmental consequences. • Consultation: The FLP wants wider participation in decision making and would introduce a Freedom of Information Act. • Voting age: Labour would involve young people in government and would reduce the minimum voting age to 18.