ONE Nation Party leader Tupou Draunidalo has questioned the value of the Bose Levu Vakaturaga (BLV), claiming it has made little meaningful difference to people’s lives and has failed to put forward useful proposals to address pressing social issues affecting the iTaukei community.
Speaking during the Fiji Media Association Town Hall event last week, Ms Draunidalo challenged the institution’s effectiveness, questioning what it had done to address major concerns surrounding drugs, HIV and poverty among the iTaukei.
“I haven’t heard one useful proposal from them,” she said.
While making it clear that she supported the chiefly system, Ms Draunidalo argued that chiefs should instead focus on serving their people and addressing the challenges faced by communities on the ground.
“The chiefly system will be with us until we die, the next generation, until they die.”
Ms Draunidalo described the BLV as a colonial British construct, saying Fiji had operated without it for 16 years while questioning the need for its continued existence.
She also made clear that One Nation Party did not support the establishment of a Senate, arguing that public funds would be better spent addressing pressing needs such as water shortages at the CWM Hospital and in the Western Division.
“You could use the money there instead of putting chiefs in another body.
“They’re already a powerful body.”
Ms Draunidalo said chiefs already held an important position in society and should use their influence to address the social and economic challenges affecting their different communities.
She also said the Government continued to urge critics to take their concerns to a referendum, despite its proposed draft not providing for one.
She questioned how the Government could criticise the democratic provisions of the 2013 Constitution while its own draft did not give people the same direct say.
