Publish date/time: 05/08/2008 [07:27]
Unnecessary costs incurred through overseas trips, leave accumulated and the like, are what the people of Fiji have to put up with from the interim government.
Ousted Opposition Leader Mick Beddoes said these actions and costs by the interim government show a lack of accountability on their part, while the people of Fiji have to foot the bill.
Beddoes added the people have to put up with this sort of action as the interim government is not answerable to anyone.
Beddoes made the comments in relation to revelations that the interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama will be attending the Beijing Olympics on the invite of the Chinese government later this week.
Meanwhile, interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry said there is no problem with the interim Prime Minister's visit to China for the opening of the Beijing Olympics.
Chaudhry said there are special allocations made by the PM's office.
He had referred further comments to the PM's office and Permanent Secretary Parmesh Chand who is yet to comment.
Chaudhry Defends PM’s Beijing Trip
There is no problem with the Interim Prime Minister's visit to China for the opening of the Beijing Olympics.
Those were the words of Interim Finance Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry who said there are special allocations made by the PM's office.
He has referred further comments to the PM's office and Permanent Secretary, Parmesh Chand is yet to comment.
Interim PM’s Beijing Trip Faces Criticisms
He has become what he has tried to remove and what he has accused us of.
These are the words of SDL Party National Director Peceli Kinivuwai on Interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama attending the Beijing Olympics on the invitation of the China government.
National Federation Party General Secretary, Pramod Rae said the Interim Government should get their priorities straight and concentrate on the problems here at home first before taking extravagant overseas trips.
Viti Taukei Workers Union General Secretary Taniela Tabu has labelled the planned trip by the Interim PM to Beijing as despicable, adding with the sacrifice already taken by so many of the civil servants on their pay cuts, he doesn't understand why the Interim Government wants to waste money on this trip.
Fiji Teachers Union General Secretary, Agni Deo Singh also questions the Interim Minister for Education, Youth and Sport, Filipe Bole's latest trip to American Samoa for the Pacific Arts Festival.
Meanwhile, the largest public sector union, the Fiji Public Service Association General Secretary Rajeshwar Singh said they have no views on the matter and it is for politicians to consider.
