Biman Focused on Budget, Won't Respond to Allegations

Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad says he is too focused on putting out a National Budget than to respond to Parliamentary Emoluments Committee chair Lynda Tabuya.

The National Federation Party leader made the comments when queried about allegations levelled against him by the Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection.

The disastrous twist came about when Ms Tabuya claimed that Mr Prasad had approached FijiFirst members on open discussions on an NFP/FijiFirst coalition.

Ms Tabuya also claimed that Mr Prasad allegedly lied to the public that no independent consultant was engaged in the work of the emoluments committee before tabling its report.

Mr Prasad said everything he had spoken about in Parliament was nothing but the truth.

He said he stood by his word.

“I have far better things to do,” Mr Prasad said.

“I have no wish to make any comment on what she said.

“Right now, I am focusing on the budget. As far as I am concerned, what I said about the issue in Parliament that’s the truth and nothing else,” Mr Prasad said.

“I want to tell the media to only concentrate on what I have said in Parliament.”

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka had said he would take action against NFP’s defiant move in Parliament.

Unbecoming of a minister 

In a statement yesterday, NFP general secretary Kamal Iyer stated his disappointment over Ms Tabuya’s statement.

“NFP would be writing to the People’s Alliance Party about her conduct,” he said.

“The allegations are mostly false, possibly defamatory and in some cases breach Cabinet confidentiality.

“Professor Prasad cannot respond to those allegations without also breaching Cabinet confidentiality - which he will not do.

“Lynda Tabuya’s outburst is unbecoming of a Cabinet Minister and breaches the good faith obligations of the Coalition Agreement which binds the parties in Government.”

After the release of the statement from Mr Iyer, Ms Tabuya herself released the scathing attack against Mr Prasad and his party which Fiji Sun had initially chosen not release prior to Mr Prasad’s response.

Ms Tabuya on her social media page: “Respond to the allegations and do not hide now behind cabinet confidentiality as it does not apply here, because nowhere in my media release did, I ever refer to a Cabinet deliberation or decision on this issue.”

Below are part of allegations Ms Tabuya made against NFP and its leader:

•  At no time during this entire Emoluments Committee process did NFP oppose the recommendations or raise any objections from March when they had over two months to consider it.
•  Mr Prasad unilaterally changed the payment of bus fare subsidies to the elderly and disabled in the current budget from $25 a month to utilisation basis without consultation with me as the line minister or Cabinet approval.
•  Earlier this year, Mr Prasad was instrumental in blocking the 20 per cent 2018 which the then Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama stopped the payment.
•  The general feeling amongst most government members is that it has been stalled by NFP who hold the employment portfolio and continue to appease their party backers who are business owners and use it as their own political platform.
•  In the national budget last year, it came as a shock when Mr Prasad unilaterally gave $325,000 to each political party without consultation or cabinet approval even though it is supposed to be $15,000 per Member of Parliament. This is calculated as follows: Fiji First 26 MPs x $15000 = $390000, PAP 21 MPs x $15000 = $315,000, NFP 5 MPs x $15000 = $75000, Sodelpa 3 MPs x $15000 = $45000. Hon Prasad paid his own party an extra $240000 without consultation or Cabinet approval. This is a figure that is more than the total increase in salaries for ministers recommended by the independent consultant $175000, just to put things in perspective.

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