No fight between us: Prasad and Tabuya deny rift amid salary storm

Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad and chair of the Parliamentary Emoluments Committee Lynda Tabuya yesterday smiled for the camera and made it clear that there was no conflict between them.

They declined to respond to any further questions outside the Office of the Prime Minister after a Cabinet meeting said to be on the 2024-2025 National Budget.

“There is no fight between us,” they said.

This is despite the controversial statement by Ms Tabuya last week which revealed a series of allegations levelled against Mr Prasad as Minister for Finance and against his party, the National Federation Party (NFP).

It followed Mr Prasad’s stance on his disapproval of the committee’s recommendations which he and his party MPs had voted against except for Agni Deo Singh who abstained from voting.

In an earlier report, Mr Rabuka said he would deal with his Deputy Prime Minister’s show of defiance as he could not have someone in his Government go against his directive.

Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection also chair of the Parliamentary Emoluments Committee Lynda Tabuya with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Biman Prasad outside the Office of the Prime Minister on June 4, 2024.

Ronald Kumar

It is understood that the Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Mr Prasad met this week to iron out the issue.

This was indicated in a Facebook post yesterday where Mr Rabuka assured that the Coalition Government was still ‘intact and solid’ (Read more on Page 2 lead).

Meanwhile, the Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection had unleashed a scathing attack against Mr Prasad including his alleged negotiations with the FijiFirst MPs to form a coalition.

Mr Prasad and his party stated that it would not be making comments on the allegations without breaching ‘Cabinet confidentiality’.

Background

The Parliamentary Emoluments Committee had released a report on the revised salaries of MPs, which included the President and the Speaker of the House.

It was debated and a majority of the House, including Opposition, had voted in favour of the report.

However, it created public uproar because the report approved the increase in salaries and benefits of all MPs, except the PM and Minister for Finance who would receive a pay cut.

After widespread criticism, Mr Rabuka attempted to make amends saying the recommendations would require substantive amendment to the Parliamentary Remunerations Act 2014.

He said this would require a Bill to be drafted by the Solicitor General’s Office.

The Bill will then be subject to public consultations where the people of Fiji can have their say and air their views. It will then be considered by Cabinet before it is tabled in Parliament, Mr Rabuka said.

Yet the Remunerations Act is as clear as a bell in that: Parliament shall, by resolution, determine the remuneration Payable to the President, the Prime Minister, others Ministers and Assistant Ministers, the Leader of the Opposition, the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and members of Parliament.

The motion to increase the salaries and benefits of the President, the Speaker and Members of Parliament was passed on Friday May 24 and gazetted on May 30, 2024.

$8.1million will be set aside for this.

It comes into effect on August 1, 2024.

It is unclear whether Mr Rabuka will retract the decisions he made last week after the drama.

However, yesterday statement by the leader of Government indicates that the coalition is starting over and reinforcing its pledge to upholding the Coalition Agreement of December 2022.

Feedback: wati.talebula@fijisun.com.fj