Grand Coalition For Fiji - Establishment of The Coalition

Establishment of The Coalition

The announcement was the culmination of months of negotiations under the mediation of Vakatora. The five parties agreed to exchange preferences in Fiji's transferable voting system and form a coalition government if its members win a majority of the 71 seats in the House of Representatives. "The parties believe that contesting the election together is the best way forward. It will ensure a stable and workable government that will represent a wide cross-section of the community," Vakatora said.

Political polarization along racial rather than ideological lines has characterized Fijian politics since responsible government was granted towards the end of colonial rule in the 1960s, but Vakatora denied that the purpose of the coalition was to maintain ethnic Fijian control. "It is about political stability, with predominantly Fijian parties making a start, without whom stability in Fiji will be difficult to achieve," he said. The coalition was not closed, he said; other parties - including non-indigenous parties - and individuals were welcome to join, he said. SDL general secretary Jale Baba concurred, saying that his party had non-indigenous members, including Indo-Fijians, and that joining an ethnic Fijian coalition was not a denial of multiracialism.

The establishment of the coalition was welcomed by SDL leader and Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, who said he supported any move to unite Fijians. He added on 2 August that racial politics was a fact of life, and that it was essential for indigenous Fijian parties to unity because the splintering of the indigenous vote had hurt them in the past. He would, however, reach out to Indo-Fijian led parties also, he said.

The Presidents and officials of all participating parties met again in the Suva suburb of Nabua on 13 August, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding, confirming that the coalition was a reality. The agreement affirms the independence of each of the participating parties, whilst aiming to ensure that all indigenous Fijian votes are shared amongst all indigenous parties. Vakatora said that the municipal elections due in October 2005 would be a trial-run for the parliamentary election of 2006.