The Republic of Fiji Military Force (RFMF) maintained its stand and that the Commander and Interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, was entitled to the $184,000 leave payout.

RFMF Director Legal Colonel Mohammed Aziz said that as far as the military is concerned, this has always been the normal procedure where they look at the leave pending for their officers and depending on the circumstances, they will make a payout.

Interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry also stated that previous governments did not pay Commodore Bainimarama for his accumulated leave and therefore it was only right for them to do so.

Chaudhry confirmed that they had to clear Army Commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama's leave owed by the RFMF since 1978 since it would have cost them more if they deferred it any longer.

However, the Fiji Association of Women Graduates President Winifereti Nainoca said money should have been allocated to education.

Nainoca said that the leave pay to the Interim Prime Minister makes a racket of public money and believes the money should have been invested in the real future of Fiji through education.