The Social Democratic Liberal Party and the National Federation Party have confirmed that they will not accept any funding from the government to pay for their staff in the parliamentary party offices for now.
The two parties in the opposition say they do not want any talks between the Minister of Finance, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and the Secretary General to Parliament, Viniana Namosimalua on the funding of the parliamentary offices.
Although the government has stated that the decision on the new funding arrangement for parliamentary party offices has been made by Namosimalua, NFP Leader, Biman Prasad and Opposition Whip, Ratu Isoa Tikoca say they do not want Sayed-Khaiyum to be involved in any talks.
The government has dismissed claims made by the Leader of Opposition, Ro Teimumu Kepa and Biman Prasad that Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum directed the Secretary General of Parliament to make the parliamentary party office funding changes.
The government said the new arrangement was implemented by the Secretary General, Viniana Namosimalua in the exercise of the powers conferred upon her under the constitution.
It said that it is quite clear from the letters written by Namosimalua to the parties that she decided in her own right that she will be making and implementing the new arrangement for the funding of staffing of parliamentary offices of political parties
The government said consultations did take place between the Secretary General and the Minister of Finance however there is nothing unconstitutional or improper about an independent constitutional office consulting with the Minister or the Ministry on budgetary and funding issues before and after the announcement of the National Budget.
The government further states that the new funding arrangement implemented by the Secretary General is a fair and proportional distribution of funding between the parties in parliament.
It states that it would appear the Opposition finds the new funding arrangement objectionable because FijiFirst is being allocated more funding than them.
The government said as the Opposition, they need to accept the fact that they have much fewer members in parliament and much lesser voter support base hence a lesser allocation under this arrangement.
SODELPA and the National Federation Party are opposing the new system of funding for the parliamentary party offices.
Under the new arrangement, the Secretary General to Parliament states that each parliamentary party office will get $15,000 per member of parliament for the party for the running of the office including the hiring of staff and other expenses relating to the resourcing of the party offices.
According to Namosimalua’s letter to the FijiFirst, SODELPA and NFP, the FijiFirst will receive $480,000 a year, SODELPA will receive $225,000 a year while NFP will get $45,000.
This is based on the number of MP’s each party has in parliament.
Ro Teimumu and Prasad claim that Namosimalua is implementing the directive by Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
However the government states that the opposition is misleading the people as no such directive was given.
When questioned by Fijivillage on any written evidence to prove their claim, Biman Prasad said he is trying to get it from Namosimalua.
We have sent questions to Namosimalua.
