PM relaxes travel restrictions for priority Government work

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has relaxed his directive on overseas travel, allowing ministers involved in critical national priorities to continue official missions abroad with his approval.

Mr Rabuka had earlier instructed ministers to halt overseas travel following the fuel supply crisis affecting the country.

However, four ministers are currently overseas on Government business.

They are Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh, who is attending the Asia-Pacific Group (ASPAG) Ministerial Meeting in Geneva; Minister for Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sakiasi Ditoka, who is in Melbourne.

Mr Rabuka said all travel requests must be approved by him and only trips considered important would proceed.

"They have had to come through me, and those that are of great significance and the normal routine conferences, I have allowed to go ahead," he said.

"I've allowed Lynda to travel because she is preparing for the pre-COP conference."

Ms Tabuya is attending the World Oceans Day Neptune Forum in Paris, France, and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Mr Rabuka said he had also approved travel by the Minister for Foreign Affairs because of ongoing negotiations aimed at securing better fuel opportunities and expanding trade.

"I've allowed the Minister for Foreign Affairs to travel because of the negotiations for better fuel opportunities and also increasing trade, just to counter the impact of the fuel crisis," he said.

Mr Rabuka also travelled on Fiji Airways' inaugural flight to the Gold Coast.

"I'm travelling on this one and they're paying, I'm not paying," he said.

He said Fiji Airways was covering the cost of the trip as part of marking the milestone occasion.

Mr Rabuka and his wife are expected to return on Saturday.