Fiji SODELPA party boss sounds warning over Rabuka

Transcript

The outgoing leader of Fiji's main opposition party SODELPA Ro Teimumu Kepa says it is time for her to return to her village and serve her people.

The party is due to elect a leader at its AGM this week and one of those contesting the leadership is the 1987 coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka.

Ro Teimumu says there are plenty of people in the party who could take over the reigns of SEODELPA and Fiji does not need another coup leader in parliament.

She told Sally Round about her plans for the future.

RO TEIMUMU KEPA: You know in the bible it says 70 years is your time on this earth, and I believe I have served my 70 years and it's time now for me to retire to my village, and serve the people there better than I have been doing previously.

SALLY ROUND: It has been a difficult few years for you?

RK: I think in Parliament, you are operating in a very fluid environment and many of the factors that come into play you have little or any control or you know if you wished to have control over it. So it's a very interesting place to be. I think I have served my time here, and it's time now for me to call it a day, it was my decision and my family, I know they are happy about it, and so are other people in the area. So we will be able to enjoy time together in our village.

SR: Is this the end of politics for you then?

RK: End of politics in this opposition office. I will continue in the village, doing lots of things, we have 50% of our village and our province are made up of people below the age of 35. So that's a big group of people we need to look at in terms of what types of assistance and what types of development we can assist them with. Unemployment is an issue and will continue to be an issue in Fiji so we need to upskill our young people.

SR: Who is your choice to take over from you as leader of SODELPA?

RK: As leader of SODELPA there are many good people here.

SR: And outsiders, I see that Sitiveni Rabuka, his name has been bandied around as a possible leader?

RK: Sitiveni Rabuka is still interested in politics and he wants to come into SODELPA. I believe he is a member of the party. What we have had issues with in the past is in terms of people who are related to the coups and this has been something that has taken us backwards.

SR: So he's not your choice then?

RK:  From 1987 our first coup, and he was the one who carried out the first coup, to the other coups, you know our people have suffered through the coups. We have had so many of our good promising young people who have had to find their life overseas because of the impact of the coups here in Fiji. We have been saying in Parliament that we don't want to be associated with any one who has carried out any coup because of the impact it has on young people. They have told us you know there is no way we can entertain anyone who has been associated with the coups because it has been a problem all our life and we don't want to be associated with that type of thinking.