Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry is asking Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka why he had a lavish party at the Grand Pacific Hotel for his Cabinet ministers and their spouses when almost half of the people in the country are barely able to put one decent meal on the table for their families.
Chaudhry has asked who paid for this expensive extravaganza.
He says the ‘special dinner’ at Suva’s most luxurious hotel on Tuesday night was to thank the Prime Minister’s 29 ministers and assistant ministers for the ‘good’ job they had done in the past 20 months and for the support from their spouses.
Chaudhry says it’s the first time in Fiji’s 54 years of independence that we have ever heard of a Prime Minister entertaining his Cabinet to a grand party to thank them for their “good work†as ministers.
He asks aren’t these ministers already paid super salaries and allowances for the work they are supposed to be doing.
The former Prime Minister says from today, they will be getting another massive increase to their salaries, perks and allowances which they arbitrarily and stubbornly awarded themselves despite the fierce outrage of the nation.
Chaudhry asks isn’t this sickening evidence of a Coalition of ministers who are all about enriching themselves, throwing lavish parties to entertain themselves and simply having a grand time laced with numerous overseas junkets.
He says such extravagance is even more embarrassing when one considers Fiji is forever going with a begging bowl to Australia and New Zealand for budget support - the latest is the $86 million from Australia.
Chaudhry asks where did the money come from as the nation cannot even afford to pay a minimum wage of $5 an hour to our lowest paid workers.
He adds just last week-end the Permanent Secretaries were enjoying a retreat at a posh resort in Denarau, Nadi and not so long ago, government workers spent an entire week on civil service celebrations.
According to Chaudhry, the government has failed to arrest the rising cost of living despite huge election promises to do so, in 20 months they have not been able to halt the decline in the sugar industry, in one whole year, the Minister for Employment failed to ensure justice to the victims of Suva’s ferris wheel tragedy, a number of senior government ministers are facing investigation by FICAC following complaints filed by the Supervisor of Elections for failure to comply with the provisions of the Political Parties Act, he is still asking for the detailed accounts of the 2023 Girmit celebrations, the drug and sex scandal that hit the Cabinet earlier this year and both the ministers involved remain in Cabinet and over 80,000 people, mostly our frustrated and disgruntled young, have left our shores in search of a better future and job opportunities elsewhere.
We have sent questions to Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad.
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