Race card row: Deputy PM accuses Seruiratu of inciting hostility

Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad has accused Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu of making seditious statements designed to create ill will and hostility in the country.

Mr Prasad launched a scathing attack on Mr Seruiratu's recent Facebook post claiming Indo-Fijians were leaving Fiji since the Coalition Government came to power.

"What the honourable Lader of the Opposition has posted, it is not only seditious, it is designed to create ill will and hostility in this country," Mr Prasad said in Parliament this morning.

He challenged Mr Seruiratu to withdraw and remove the statement from his Facebook page. Mr Prasad presented migration statistics showing that similar numbers of people left Fiji during the previous government's tenure.

In 2016, 26,426 people left for employment, education and immigration purposes, followed by 27,000 in 2017 and 26,000 in 2018 when the FijiFirst government was in power.

"Who were in government when 26,000 people left in 2016? Who were in government in 2017 when 27,000 people left? Was the Bainimarama government chasing away people at that time?" Mr Prasad asked.

He said 29,719 people left in 2023 and 22,433 in 2024, with numbers dropping to 15,584 as of September this year. Mr Prasad accused the Opposition Leader of playing the race card and trying to create political malice.

"He is worried about his political fortune, which is dwindling every day, and trying to play the race card," Mr Prasad said.

The Deputy Prime Minister said Mr Seruiratu's statement was in bad faith and based on a desperate attempt to gain political advantage.

"That statement from the leader of the opposition is in bad faith. It's based on a desperate attempt to bring some kind of political malice," he said.

Mr Prasad announced he would respond to Mr Seruiratu's statement in full at a press conference tomorrow.