THE Government should establish a dedicated parliamentary seat to represent the interests of Rotuma and its people.
Filipe Makrava, a resident of Oinafa and former Rotuma Council member, made this submission during the Electoral Law Review consultations on the island recently.
Speaking from firsthand experience, Mr Makrava highlighted the challenges faced when trying to address Rotuman affairs through the Office of the Prime Minister.
“When I was in the council, having to go through the Office of the PM was a tedious, tedious affair,” he said.
“You had to deal with a lot of people, and when you talked to them, you were passed around.”
Mr Makrava explained that the lack of a dedicated officer or department responsible for Rotuman issues often left community members feeling overlooked and frustrated.
“When one would go, that person that you dealt with all of a sudden doesn’t exist or is overseas.
“So we have to start from scratch again.”
He urged the commission to consider a clearer and more effective representation structure for Rotuma, advocating for a parliamentary seat solely dedicated to the island.
“Rotuma should sit in parliament.
“The representation should be a member of parliament for Rotuma Affairs. And under the voting system, the Rotumans, particularly here in Rotuma, can vote for that person.”
He further emphasised the need for a representative who truly understood the unique challenges of maritime and island communities, adding that current representatives may have limited insight into the realities of Rotuma.
“We need to establish the standing of Rotuma, the status of Rotuma, in order to assure Rotumans that we have a seat in parliament.”
