Stop hosting feasts: Gelu

National

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
REGISTRAR of Political Parties  Dr Alphonse Gelu has discouraged political party executives to entertain the kaikai or feast-hosting mentality to lure voters in next year’s general election.
He urged the executives to educate voters to follow and vote for their candidates on party polices and not host feasts for them during the elections.
“Such talk like now is the time to eat beef because in the past we have been chewing bones – must not be entertained,” Gelu said.
“We have to get rid of this culture. Forget about coffee nights. We have to break away from such practice. You have to educate voters not to think like that. Don’t encourage them to follow you by hosting feasts for them.”
Gelu said during the two-day party branding and campaign strategies workshop for party executives that they should be smarter in campaigning.
“The practice of hosting feats is the political campaign of the past. Now we must be smarter. Try to use technology to campaign.”
Meanwhile, a guest speaker at the workshop,  Australian Liberal Party campaigning consultant  Ian Hanke, said that ccontroversial executives and politicians could spoil the chances of parties in  elections.
“A party can have a good political leader, good policies, good logo, slogan and branding but controversial executives can spoil the party’s chances,” he said.
“Controversial party leader or members of parliament of that party can spoil the party’s chances despite having good executives.”
Hanke gave an example of a major party in the 2010 Australian federal election.
“The party had elected a controversial union officer to be an executive member. This officer had misused half a million Australians dollars of the union’s funds on alcohol, holidaying and women. This union is made up of low-wage workers like cleaners. They work long hours and get less pay. His behaviour tarnished the party‘s brand of their concern for the poor. The party lost in the federal elections although that party had a very good political leader.”