SODELPA's Rabuka hopeful party can come back united

The leader of Fiji's main opposition party says they may be down but they are not out.

Last week the Fiji Elections Office suspended the Social Democratic Liberal Party over allegations of breaching political rules and the Constitution.

SODELPA's Sitiveni Rabuka said the suspension was inevitable following weeks of feuding between two rival factions.

Mr Rabuka said a lot of work was needed to fix the fractured party but he was hopeful it could be achieved.

"We were working all out to avoid it, but it has happened," he said.

"There's no point crying over spilt milk but we can do the next best thing and that is to come back united."

The former prime minister said they would not contest the decision by the Registrar of Political Parties.

SODELPA is the main opposition party in Fiji occupying 21 seats of the 51-seat Parliament.

Mr Rabuka said they would need to submit a report that was "constitutionally sustainable".

He said he held a meeting with all party members and claimed everyone was unified to submit a list of new office holders.

It's unfair: Radrodro

However SODELPA MP Salote Radrodro said she was not happy with the decision as the main opposition party should have been in Parliament which sat last week.

Ms Radrodro said country was battling the Covid-19 pandemic and SODELPA needed to ensure that discussions on the impact of the virus were held accordingly.

"It's unfair to our voters particularly in this time where we have the economic and social impact of Covid-19 and it's important that the full House sits and has a full debate on the Budget."

Ms Radrodro said this was important as the government's Covid-19 supplementary Budget which was passed in March would be discussed in Parliament.

Another SODELPA MP Viliame Gavoka said the decision by the Registrar of Political Parties was unfortunate.

But he said the party would return stronger.

"It's really early days and as you can imagine it's quite a shock."

The legitimate SODELPA member

Meanwhile, the Registrar of Political Parties said SODELPA vice president Vijay Singh is the only recognised office holder in the suspended party.

Mohammed Saneem said party officials could hold the necessary meeting to remedy the breach, however, in mentioning the name of the party, the officials must state that it was under suspension.

Mr Saneem also warned that the suspended party would be deregistered if it did not resolve internal differences within 60 days.

NFP confident: Prasad

Earlier, the National Federation Party said it was confident in filling the role of Opposition in Parliament following the suspension of SODELPA.

NFP leader Biman Prasad said they were saddened by the decision to suspend SODELPA.

The NFP's three members were the only opposition in the House this week and they were left disappointed after their motions were denied by Speaker Ratu Epeli Nailatikau.

One of the motions included a call for an inquiry into the "poor state of the country's hospitals and health centres". But that was defeated.

Mr Prasad said he was not allowed to question the Sugar Minister and Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama about the payment to cane farmers for last year's harvest season.

Last week, three petitions filed by SODELPA were also dismissed by the Speaker.

They included a call for a parliamentary investigation into Grace Road Church and its more than 400 followers in Fiji.

Church leader Shin Ok-ju was jailed last year by a South Korean court for detaining her followers in Fiji and subjecting them to violent beatings and forced labour.

But the Speaker ruled police were responsible for any investigation.

Opposition leader Sitiveni Rabuka's raised his concern over the new requirements for voter registration.

But the Speaker ruled the House did not have the responsibility on the matter.

SODELPA MP Lynda Tabuya submitted a petition calling for an inquiry into domestic violence but the Speaker dismissed her petition saying there was already a ministry working on the issue.