Parliament has this afternoon approved the salary increases for the President, Speaker, Ministers, Assistant Ministers and MPs.

While speaking during the debate, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Finance and National Federation Party Leader, Professor Biman Prasad opposed the motion to increase the salaries.

40 MPs voted for the salary changes, 7 voted against it and 5 abstained.

Professor Prasad also raised the issue regarding the Leader of the Opposition, Inia Seruiratu making comments about FijiFirst Party submissions being highlighted in the media, and reminded Seruiratu that all the party submissions were in the report which was a public document.

He says the FijiFirst wants to hide their submission from the public.

While speaking on behalf of the 5 NFP Members of Parliament, Professor Prasad says when the Parliamentary Emoluments Committee report came out on Wednesday, they were to take it back to the NFP Management Board as the decision of the NFP was that the MPs should not recommend increases to their own salaries.

Professor Prasad says their position on this matter is in accordance with the directive of the party and this should not be in any way be construed or misinterpreted in terms of their position and the support for the Prime Minister and the coalition government.

He says the Leader of the Opposition, Inia Seruiratu cannot shy away from the fact that this was a Parliament initiative, not just a government initiative.

Professor Prasad says the NFP earlier voted against the increase in allowances and also does not support the proposed increases in the report this time.

In a surprise move this afternoon, Parliament went overtime and decided to debate and vote on the salary increases recommended for the President, Speaker, Ministers, Assistant Ministers and MPs today.

The Friday session usually finishes at lunch time.

When the Parliamentary Emoluments Committee chaired by Lynda Tabuya presented the report earlier this week recommending salary increases, it was agreed that the report would be debated on a later date.

Tabuya moved a motion in Parliament this afternoon that Parliament debates and approves the recommendations for the salary changes and the changes to come into effect on the 1st of August 2024 and expire on the 31st of December 2024.

Although many calls have been made to reconsider the proposed increase based on the economic hardship faced by many Fijians and the call by the National Federation Party in it’s submission contained in the report to leave the assessment, submission and the preparation of the report to independent consultants, the debate and vote went ahead.

According to the interim measure that the government had proposed and approved through parliament within the current budget year, the Prime Minister’s salary was reduced from $328,750 to $263,000, the Minister for Finance’s salary was reduced from $235,000 to $188,000, Ministers’ salaries were reduced from between $200,000 and $185,000 to $160,000 and $148,000, Assistant Ministers’ salaries from $90,000 to $72,000 and the Leader of Opposition’s salaries from $120,000 to $96,000.

The Parliamentary Emoluments Committee recommended an increase in the President’s pay by $55,000, all Ministers to be on a $200,000 salary which sees a decrease in salary for the Minister for Finance based on the Parliamentary Remunerations Act and increase for other Ministers who are on $160,000, an increase in Assistant Ministers’ pay from $90,000 to $120,000, an increase in the Leader of Opposition’s pay from $120,000 to $200,000, an increase in the pay of Members of Parliament from $50,000 to $95,000 and a 2.5 percent reduction in the Prime Minister’s pay.

The Members of the Committee for the production of the bipartisan report were Tabuya, Ro Filipe Tuisawau, Aseri Radrodro, Alvick Maharaj and Mosese Bulitavu.

It was recommended that the President’s salary should increase from $130,000 to $185,000 as the Head of State deserves a salary that reflects that post, and the Prime Minister’s salary to be reduced from $328,750 based on the Act to $320,000 to be at the same level as the salary of the Chief Justice as both positions are head of a branch of government.

The committee recommended that the Speaker’s salary be increased as well from $150,000 to $220,000.

While presenting the report to parliament which includes recommendations agreed to representatives of both sides of parliament and an independent consultant, Chair of the Committee, Lynda Tabuya says the committee has thoroughly scrutinised the report and aims to ensure fair and reasonable recompense for Members, helping to attract and retain skilled and talented Members of Parliament that effectively represent the interests of the community.

The recommendations also confirm that the current system of overseas travel per diem should still be bench-marked to the United Nations Daily Subsistence Allowance but with lower additional allowances.

The committee has also recommended for official residences for the Speaker of Parliament and the Leader of the Opposition.

All these recommendations have been approved.

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