ZCZC
BFF-13
FIJI-POLITICS-VOTE
Bainimarama narrowly retains power in Fiji
SUVA, Fiji, Nov 18, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Former Fiji military strongman Voreqe
Bainimarama survived declining support for his FijiFirst party to remain in
power Sunday, fending off a strong challenge from rival coup leader Sitiveni
Rabuka.
The Fiji election result, confirmed four days after the island nation went
to the polls for only the second time since “Frank” Bainimarama seized power
in 2006, gave FijiFirst a three-seat majority in parliament.
Bainimarama was not in Fiji to hear the final result but told Fiji
Broadcasting Corporation from New Zealand, where he has been attending his
brother’s funeral, that he was “proud to become your prime minister once
again”.
FijiFirst took 50.02 percent of the vote, enough to claim 27 seats, while
Rabuka’s SODELPA party with 39.85 percent and the National Federation Party
with 7.38 percent got 24 seats between them in the 51-seat parliament.
Support for FijiFirst had dived from 59.17 percent in 2014 when Bainimarama
first went to the polls following eight years of political reforms after he
overthrew the previous government of then prime minister Laisenia Qarase.
Rabuka, who led two military coups in 1987 before later being
democratically elected prime minister, saw SODELPA’s share of the vote rise
from 21.18 percent four years ago.
In a preliminary report, a multinational observer group said it was
“confident that Fijian voters were able to exercise their right to vote
freely”.
The report was prepared Friday before a small number to voters were allowed
to cast a late ballot after torrential rain forced the closure of some
polling stations on Wednesday.
It assessed the electoral processes as “transparent and credible” and that
the election “was on track to reflect the will of the voters”.
Bainimarama, 64, led a bloodless coup 12 years ago vowing to end the
instability that saw four governments toppled between 1987 and 2006.
For eight years he led a military regime that ruled by decree as he
reshaped the political landscape.
Under his watch, the island nation of 920,000 has enjoyed sustained growth
in its tourism-reliant economy.
Supporters say he has helped heal racial divisions by introducing equal
rights for Indian-Fijians, a sizeable minority brought in to work on sugar
plantations during British colonial rule.
He has also made Fiji’s foreign policy less reliant on Australia and New
Zealand, which both tried to isolate his regime when he seized power,
allowing China an increased role in aid and development.
But critics, including Amnesty International, say some democratic
fundamentals such as media freedom and the right to assembly remain
inadequate under Bainimarama, who is notoriously sensitive to criticism.
Fiji is by far the most populous and economically powerful of the South
Pacific island nations and seen as a regional hub for business and diplomacy.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1106 hrs