$300k Set Aside For Former PMs, President

Close to $300,000 was allocated in the 2017-2018 Budget and distributed be­tween former Prime Ministers and a former President.

This is an increase of $44,800 or 15 per cent when compared to the previous year.

This covers for both benefits and pen­sion.

It is understood that former Prime Minis­ter in the Soqosoqo ni Duavata ni Leweni­vanua government, Laisenia Qarase re­ceives a pension of about $70,000 annually.

Former Prime Minister in the Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei government, Siti­veni Rabuka receives about $68,000.

Apart from their pension, both Mr Qar­ase and Mr Rabuka received their official vehicles earlier this month.

Mr Qarase said the vehicle was a Toyota Prado.

Both received the vehicles as outlined in the Prime Minister’s Pensions Act 1994.

Section 9 (ii) of the Act states that until his demise, a former Prime Minister who has completed five years service is entitled to the provision of a ministerial-type ve­hicle and a driver, including free travel on scheduled trips of Government ships.

Other benefits include:

- Provision for the installation, con­nection, maintenance and rental of a tel­ephone in any private residence of his, and to meet the cost of all charges in re­spect of local calls originating from such telephone.

- medical treatment, hospitalisation, medication and all other hospital services locally; provided that where local special­ist treatment and medical treatment over­seas including the cost of treatment, ac­commodation and air travel are necessary, such expenditure may be incurred at the discretion of the Prime Minister, and;

- provision of security protection at the discretion of the Prime Minister.

Edited by George Kulamaiwasa

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