Immanuel: Ministerial overseas trips follow proper process

Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel has defended ministerial overseas travel, stating established processes are already in place for approving such trips. 

When questioned about the $64,813 spent sending Cabinet ministers to the Fiji Day celebrations in Australia last month, Mr Immanuel said there was already a system governing overseas travel. 

“There is already a process in place for traveling overseas,” Mr Immanuel said at the launch of the Fiji Development Bank’s AI credit assessment tool yesterday. 

“One of the requirements is to have some returns back to us.” 

He did not elaborate on what specific returns ministers were required to provide following overseas travel. 

His comments come amid public criticism over Government spending on overseas trips while Fijians face high living costs. 

Mr Immanuel defended the trips, saying they served important purposes. 

“For example, those ones are needed for our people overseas.  We must continue to get in touch with them. Also, they have good intentions for Fiji as well.” 

Ministerial travel destinations for Fiji Day included Sydney, Wellington, Auckland, and various Australian cities to mark Fiji's 55th Independence anniversary with diaspora communities. 

The Fiji Public Service Association had called for clear overseas travel expenditure policies with spending caps and justification requirements.

Feedback: kaneta.naimatau@fijisun.com.fj