Tutorial and workshop: week 9
Question 1: Explain the manifestos of political parties contented the 1977 elections? Why 1977 election became important in context of a constitutional crisis? [NFP won the elections and still not formed the government. Why?
ü In 1966 Fiji adopt Ministerial type of Government whereby leader of Alliance party Ratu Mara as Chief Minister and Federation leader A.D.Patel as opposition.
Ratu Mara’s Manifesto
The campaign officially began with Ratu Mara’s address over Radio Fiji on 28 February. His request was that the people of Fiji should return his party to power because it had fulfilled its promise of 'peace, progress and prosperity and in the next five 'testing years' would consolidate its achievements on the basis of 'share and care. The source of the Alliance's policy would be Development Plan VI which described as dynamic realistic program by Mara. The political issue of education system development strategies of Alliance Party has some dissatisfaction throughout 1970-1980. He emphasized that greater food production would be encouraged and dwelt on his party's record at home and abroad. He argued that his party had promoted racial harmony: 'We believe in harmony and maintain and promote it for its own sake, and for the happiness and well-being of our people.
Koya’s Manifesto
S.Koya in his final campaign described it as university's policy endorsed by the Prime Minister of recruiting students on the basis of double standards and also elaborate on the discrimination of races will cause destruction and reputation of the university. The NFP explained that the Alliance had overtaxing farmers and Koya address also contained a special appeal to the Indian community, the majority of whom supported his party. Koya accused the Alliance of failing 'to give an effective and an appropriate assurance to the Indian community when in October 1975 Mr Sakiasi Butadroka had unsuccessfully moved a motion in Parliament calling for the repatriation of all Fiji citizens of Indian parentage.
Butadroka’s Manifesto
Establishment of a Fijian Institute to teach Fijians in business.Pensions for ex-servicemen. Indians should be repatriated to India after Fiji gained full independence. More Government development projects should be concentrated in rural areas.Expansion of the Royal Fiji Military Forces' trade section to help ease unemployment.The return to Fijians of all land that was illegally sold
The second election under the 1970 Constitution was held in March 1977, when the NFP sent shockwaves through the Taukei political establishment after they won 26 seats to the Alliance’s 24 seats . The NFP was not able to form a government following the elections due to an internal leadership struggle and other factors and the governor general, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, invited Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, the former prime minister and leader of the defeated Alliance, to take over as caretaker prime minister in a ‘palace coup’ of sorts until the next elections in September of the same year.
Question 2 Which all political parties contested 1982 election and what were their manifestos? What were the reasons of Alliance victory over NFP-WUP Coalition?
- The election was held between 10-17th July, the new party National Federation Party- Western Unite Front formed in 1981 both claimed for tidal wave of multiracial support. Its support was concentrated in the Western Division, mainly in the provinces of Nadroga and Ba. Its formation was due to disenchantment of western Fijians about not receiving fair return from the Native Land Trust Board (NLTB) from the income derived from their land. Fiji's foreign exchange earnings are mainly generated from sugar, tourism, pine and gold, produced in the western division. Their election campaign revolved around issues of political equality, balanced regional development and fair distribution of national income. Alliance was victorious because it had Fijian communal support. The NFP's own Fijian communal candidates had little experience and low status in Fijian traditional society whereas Alliance candidates had greater ability, high status of usually chiefs and long term of public service. Gujerati Indian businessmen gave support to Alliance as party promised them ‘business as usual’. Alliance had won 28 of the 52 seats in the House of Representatives and the NFP-WUF Coalition 24 seats. Western United Front of Ratu Osea Gavidi won only two seats, and NFP won 22 seats. Sakiasi Butadroka’ FNP maintained low profile and did not win single seat
Question 3: Read both the articles of 1977 and 1982 Elections, and write a summary of both in regard to their significance in Fiji's elections.
The both election was about the racist of the Fijian Government and ways the parties manifest inorder to gain more voters. In the 1977 election FNP won and was not able to lead the government due to some corruption happened in the parliament. General elections had taken place in March and April, 1977 and another one on 17-24th September. The Governor-General, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, had called on the defeated Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, to form an interim government, pending fresh elections. In the 1982 election the election was held between 10-17th July, the new party National Federation Party- Western Unite Front formed in 1981 both claimed for tidal wave of multiracial support. Its support was concentrated in the Western Division, mainly in the provinces of Nadroga and Ba. Its formation was due to disenchantment of western Fijians about not receiving fair return from the Native Land Trust Board (NLTB) from the income derived from their land.
Tutorial and workshop: week 10
Question 1: What were the reasons for the two Fiji's coups in 1987? What role political parties played during the Coup? [Tutorial Question]
The Fijian coups of 1987 resulted in the overthrow of the elected government of Fijian Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra, the deposition of Elizabeth II as Queen of Fiji, and in the declaration of a republic. The first coup, in which Bavadra was deposed, took place on 14 May 1987; a second coup on 28 September ended the monarchy, and was shortly followed by the proclamation of a republic on 7 October. Both military actions were led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, then third in command of the Royal Fiji Military Forces. Depending on perspective, one may view the event either as two successive coups d’état separated by a four-month intermission, or as a single coup begun on 14 May and completed with the declaration of the republic. The main factors that led to the 1987 coup was the racial discrimination of Fijian and Indo-Fijian leadership of Fiji Government. On April 1987 Fiji Labour Party won over 28seats of the 52seats and the Alliance party lost and it was Fiji Multiracial democracy which led to to the Coup of May 14.
Question 2: Explain the Role of Great Council of Chiefs during the Coups? [Discussion Forum] [Refer to week 3 Lecture on GCC]
The GCC was created by the first colonial governor, Sir Arthur Gordon, following his consultations with an assembly of chiefs on how the Fijians should be governed. The GCC, or Bose Levu Vakaturaga, has existed since 1876 and it became the major symbol of Fijian identity and strength in the colonial political structure and continued to have this significance after independence, ritually affirming an ethnic political unity transcending geographical and cultural differences among Fijians in opposition to the other sections of Fiji’s population. Fiji's military dictator Voreqe Bainimarama has sudden abolished one of the South Pacific's oldest political institutions, the Great Council of Chiefs. Councils of chiefs had long been important in Fijian political life, and the chiefs who assembled to discuss ceding their islands to the British Crown formed, perhaps, the greatest of such assemblies.