Prime Minister Voreqe Baini­marama has stood by his comment about the Opposi­tion parties during the commis­sioning of the MLC Veivueti and opening of the Government Ship­ping Services offices at Walu Bay, Suva last Friday.

During the Fijian Navy monthly church service at Walu Bay yester­day, he told the Fiji Sun: “I’m stand­ing by my comments“.

He was responding to comments made by the National Federation Party (NFP) leader Biman Prasad and Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) leader Sitiveni Rabuka.

Mr Prasad had told the media that he was disappointed at the Prime Minister for using an official func­tion to attack other political party leaders.

SODELPA party leader Sitiveni Rabuka said it was unfortunate that the Prime Minister decided to engage in political mudslinging.

Speaking during the commission­ing of the MLC Veivueti, Mr Baini­marama said they marked another historic milestone, another first for Fiji, they now just have to wait and see what desperate critiques the Opposition musters up to belittle these accomplishments.

He said in line with the steady stream of empty promises and flat-out lies of the Social Democratic Liberal Party and National Federa­tion Party, perhaps they would now vow to build the world’s fastest mo­bile hospital which would provide miracle cures.

“SODELPA and NFP are not guid­ed by realism. SODELPA and NFP aren’t driven by principle,” Mr Bainimarama said.

“SODLEPA and NFP are driven by desperate attempts to remain relevant in an economy where all of their accusations and critiques have been proven wrong.

“They now resort to one strat­egy and one strategy alone. Throw whatever they can at the wall and see what sticks. Unfortunately for them nothing was sticking.

”The Fijian people know better. Fijians have seen that my Govern­ment’s promises are ambitious, and they are ground-breaking.

“But most importantly, Fijians have seen my Government’s prom­ises fulfilled.”

He said if the economy was a ship, he had proven the ability to steer it through choppy waters, and stayed on course to arrive at a more pros­perous future.

The current head of SODELPA he said had been at the helm of this ship before—and he quickly sank it to the bottom of the Pacific.

He said the current head of the NFP had never steered a ship and did not have the capacity to do so.

Edited by Percy Kean

Feedback: maikab@fijisun.com.fj