Bulitavu defends ‘lavish’ dinner

Crossbencher Member of Parliament Mosese Bulitavu has defended the special ‘lavish’ dinner hosted by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.

The dinner, which was hosted on Tuesday evening at Suva’s premier hotel, the Grand Pacific Hotel was a time for prime minister to acknowledge the work Government Minister’s, Assistant Ministers have invested and committed in the last two years in power.

The spouses also attended the special dinner.

On Wednesday, former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry labeled the dinner as ‘lavish’, ‘sickening’ and further criticized that ‘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’.

It’s a tone of criticism that has drawn light on the Government’s irrational monetary decisions.

Minister for Finance Biman Prasad referred all comments to Mr Rabuka.

Mr Rabuka was approached yesterday, but he did not comment.

This masthead has also sent questions and is awaiting a response.

PM’s entertainment budget 

Defending this event, Mr Bulitavu said the event is budgeted for under Prime Ministers Entertainment Account and that allocation has been there over the years.

He said Mr Chaudhry should be the last person to question Prime Minister Rabuka.

“It is public knowledge that the Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry was convicted in April 2014 for breaching the Exchange Control Act by investing money outside Fiji without informing the Reserve Bank and fined US$1.1 million,” Mr Bulitavu said.

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