Proposal for equal seats in Parliament

THERE should be a 50 per cent gender representation in Fiji’s Parliament.

This came out strongly during public consultations on Rotuma recently with islanders advocating for women to be given half the seats in the national legislature.

Juju district resident Saau Injimo said based on his observations, ministries led by women tended to be well-managed and more attention was paid to the finer details.

“I believe there should be a certain number of women that should be in Parliament,” Mr Injimo said.

“When a woman is leading a ministry, that ministry is very well looked after. Because they look at all the small details.”

Mr Injimo proposed that Parliament be split equally between male and female representatives.

“I think it should be 50 per cent women in Parliament and 50 per cent men.”

Chairperson of the Electoral Law Reform Commission Daniel Fatiaki supported the logic behind the suggestion.

“They’re half the population. Why shouldn’t they be half the Parliament? There’s a sense in it, you know. It’s not out of the sky,” he said.

Mr Fatiaki then posed a question to participants on the logistics of gender-based seats.

He asked whether men should be allowed to vote for women in these seats or not.

In response, Sarah Semantafa, the only woman present at the Juju Village consultation, said both men and women should have the right to vote for such seats.

“It should be both. Because we are all still citizens and all of this earth.”