Fijians will be heading to the polls this week. Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Kelvin Anthony
The final battle to form the next government is under way, with only 48 hours left to the 2022 Fijian General Election voting day.
In the race, 342 candidates from nine political parties and two independents are vying for a seat in Parliament.
Deciding their fates are 693,915 registered voters who will head to the polls on Wednesday to cast their votes in the country's third democratic elections under the new 2013 Constitution.
At midnight today, political parties will wrap up all campaigning as the 48-hour media blackout period begins.
During this period, political parties will be required to delete online campaign materials, and media organisations will not publish articles relating to the election.
Political parties have had months to campaign across Fiji and the region, releasing their manifestos as they head into the final stretch of their campaign. Let's look at what policy changes could come into effect depending on who forms the next government.
Frank Bainimarama's intention is to be the longest-serving Fiji prime minister. Photo: Supplied
The ongoing promise of stability
The ruling FijiFirst Party is reassuring voters of the growth and prosperity that Fijians have experienced over the last eight years.
Leader Frank Bainimarama outlined his government's record as the basis of their 64-page manifesto with plans for the economy, education, agriculture, health care and infrastructure.
"To strengthen our recovery, to create better jobs that excite and empower our young population, to transform our society with life-changing technology, to lift our farmers, to deepen investment, create sustainability in our ocean, in our forests and for our tourism sector," Bainimarama said.
Understanding the dynamics of the FijiFirst Party dates to 2006, when Bainimarama came into power after he overthrew a democratically elected government in a military coup.
Almost eight and a half years later, in 2014, Bainimarama led his newly formed political Party, FijiFirst, to become a democratically elected prime minister.
He won the elections for the second time in 2018 but only accumulated over 50 percent of the total votes to lead a majority government.
Bainimarama's intention is to be the longest-serving Fiji prime minister, but whether he'll make a third term depends on his arch-rival, another former military strongman and coup maker, Sitiveni Rabuka.
Sitiveni Rabuka and Fiji leader Frank Bainimarama are among those set to face off in the election. Photo: Fijian Government/Facebook
Rebuilding Fiji together
While the People's Alliance (PA) Party may be new on the block, it is not unfamiliar with Fijian politics. Led by veteran politician and former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, the party promises current policy changes.
"Our government will champion the course of holding the rule of law paramount. We will adhere to the norms and conventions of good governance and accountability with conviction and responsibility," said Rabuka.
A few changes things included in the manifesto are amendments to the 2013 Constitution, wiping out of all current Tertiary Education Loan Scheme (TELS) debts for students, reinstating the Great Council of Chiefs, and repealing all decrees that suppress basic human rights.
Rabuka executed Fiji's first coup to become the prime minister in 1987. After this, he returned to contest the 1992 election and was successfully made leader of Fiji in 1999.
Rabuka re-entered as the leader of the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) in the 2018 general election and formed an opposition government.
He resigned from SODELPA two years ago to form his new party.
The PA has also joined forces with the National Federation Party to form a coalition after the election. The two parties have been campaigning with high hopes to give the ruling party a run for its money and form the next government.
Policies aimed at packing orders
The National Federation Party (NFP) is the oldest party to contest the election with a focus on the political, social and economic concerns of Fijians.
Led by Professor Biman Prasad, the party's manifesto addresses government spending and wastage. It promises an extensive audit of the economy within 100 days under the PA-NFP government.
Prasad said they will also address policy changes in sugar, education, infrastructure, utilities and governance, including the establishment of municipal council elections.
The NFP also aims to reduce the cost of living, address Fiji's termites invasion, and restore the rights and freedom of trade unions and workers.
"The health services in the country have deteriorated, the declining quality of education, the rising cost of living, higher levels of unemployment and declining income of the people will be addressed," said Prasad.
In the running since 1963, the NFP was formed out of the cane farmers' associations, which followed a deep history of many accomplishments, challenges, and coalitions with other political parties until 2006.
In 2014 Prasad successfully led the NFP back into Parliament after winning three seats to be part of the opposition government.
Following this, the party also stood in the 2018 election and retained its seats with an increased 7.38 percent voting share.
A confident Prasad said the party has a successful line-up for the election to make more than 7 percent of the voting shares this year.
In the last two terms, the NFP has worked closely with the leading opposition party, SODELPA, yet it has already announced a coalition with PA this year.
Voting items being delivered Photo: Fiji Election Office
Time for change
The Social Democratic Liberal Party promises to deliver on its existing policies to improve the socio-economic development of the indigenous i-Taukei people.
Party leader Viliame Gavoka said the party's manifesto indicated priorities in education, health and indigenous affairs, amongst many others.
FBC News reports Gavoka said the cancellation of all TELS debt, the expansion of more Matua classes and the removal of short-term employment contracts will be their priority.
"We know that we have to uplift the socio-economic development for the i-Taukei, and we are serious about it. It's reflected as such in our manifesto," said Gavoka.
Formerly known as the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) Party, in 2013, SDL renamed itself SODELPA.
In 2014 and 2018, the party secured major seats to form the opposition in Parliament.
Over the last two terms, the party has had three leaders, Ro Teimumu Kepa in 2014, who was replaced by former Prime Minister Rabuka in 2018, and is now led by veteran politician Gavoka.
Early this year, SODELPA was suspended for 60 days for breaching the Political Parties Act. Since then, the party said it has dealt with these issues and is confident that they will again "meet the five percent threshold and enter Parliament".
A police officer oversees the delivery of ballot boxes Photo: Fiji Election Office
Promises of equal opportunities to uplift Fijians
Back with a familiar leadership, the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) promises to bring immediate attention to critical areas such as the national economy, education, and health services.
Leader Mahendra Chaudhry said FLP's policies prioritise equal opportunities for everyone.
"There's a lot of unemployment, poverty levels are high, wages are low, the cost of living is very high. So that's our top priority to provide relief to the people who are actually feeling the brunt of the current situation.
"Labour will fully restore the rights of all workers and their unions and ensure fair treatment at the workplace, restore permanent employment in the civil service and the retirement age to be lifted to 60."
FLP's manifesto also focuses on providing for appeal rights on promotions and the review of the minimum wage to take account of the cost of living.
In 1985 political tensions and unjust working policies by the then-government led to a prolonged teachers' and a hunger strike by young graduates, which gave birth to the FLP.
Since then, the FLP was elected into power in 1987 and 1999; on both occasions, the party was rapidly overthrown by a coup.
The FLP has had a rocky transition to make its comeback to form a government since 2001 despite many judiciary rulings. However, it managed to gain some success in the 2006 election before another coup.
Then, party leader Chaudhry supported Bainimarama's military takeover and served as the interim regime, holding the portfolios of Finance, Sugar Reform and National Planning in 2006.
In 2014, FLP contested the election and made 2.4 percent of the vote and no parliamentary seats. There was a similar fate in 2018 when the party joined forces with the Freedom Alliance Party but did not win any seats again, securing only 2800 votes.
Hope and Freedom
Running for the second time, Unity Fiji is drawing on its economic and financial management strengths to secure a prosperous economy.
The party highlighted in its manifesto that poor management resulted in a lack of jobs, rising cost of living, and exploding poverty and promises to bring cross-cutting themes if elected into Parliament.
Unity Fiji leader Savenaca Narube said key priorities focus on eliminating poverty through education, reducing the cost of living, transforming resources, and creating employment, primarily through small and medium enterprises.
Unity Fiji also intends to forgive all debt under the existing TELS, make tertiary education free, restore government grants to the University of the South Pacific, and increase the minimum wage to $5.
The party was formed in 2017 to provide a fresh alternative for Fijians, which didn't carry the baggage of Fiji's fractured political history.
In 2018, the party, which is led by the former Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji, Narube, won 6896 votes, 1.52 percent of the total; however, it failed to win any seats in Parliament.
Smaller parties join race
First-time contenders, the All Peoples Party promises to carry the nation forward to prosperity.
The party's manifesto includes reverting all crown and freehold lands back to native land, all businesses to pay tithe, zero duty on essential food items, releasing prisoners who are serving life sentences to mark 50 years of independence and Fiji to leave the United Nations and join the Commonwealth of Israel.
The New Generation Party is entering the political landscape to bring policy changes in 27 major areas.
This includes reviewing the education system, enhancing support for mental health framework and youth-focused policies, and reviewing i-Taukei governance structures, amongst many others.
Finally, the We Unite Fiji Party, led by a former FijiFirst MP and Deputy Speaker of the house Ruveni Nadalo has proposed to review current limiting policies.
FijiVillage reports the party believes changes are needed in all areas of policies as Fiji's political diaspora has shifted from being nationalistic to more cosmopolitan.
Fijians vote during a previous election. Photo: Sally Round
Fijians hold the true power
These nine parties have made their promises, and as candidates wrap up the final campaigning, it all comes down to the people.
The million-dollar question remains whether Fijians will turn up on poll day to cast their votes.
A total of 606,092 voters registered to vote on election day come Wednesday, but so far, voter turnout has been low.
A total of 77,907 Fijians were registered to vote for pre-polling over the last week; however, only 54,244 Fijians cast their votes.
The preliminary pre-poll voter turnout stands at 69.63 percent at the 613 venues across Fiji.
The Fijian Elections Office is yet to confirm actual figures based on reports by the Presiding Officers.
Votes cast so far and on Wednesday will determine the lives of more than 900,000 Fijians for the next four years.
Who will form the next government, what will become of Fiji's future, and what policies will further unite the country - will all be determined in the next 48 hours.