Win your way in | Academics voice concern on present voting system

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Joji Kotobalavu. Picture: JONA KONATACI

Minority communities will have no voice in Cabinet or Parliament if the present voting system is maintained.

Renowned academic and former permanent secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office Joji Kotobalavu said if the status quo continued, the iTaukei dominance in the House and Government would be further entrenched.

He said this while reiterating the views of a group of academics that politicians who received the highest number of votes should be in Parliament not those who were a shoo-in because of their party leaders’ popularity.

The other academics were Dr Cema Bolabola, Justice Alipate Qetaki, Unity Fiji Party leader Savenaca Narube and Pandit Bhuwan Dutt, who were part of a panel during a public lecture on the life and legacy of the late statesman Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna.

Mr Kotobalavu said in the three general elections held under the 2013 Constitution, Fiji’s minority communities — Rotumans, part-Europeans and Chinese — had no representation in Parliament.

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