Prime Minister Rabuka backs Lynda Tabuya's overseas trips

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has doubled down on the decision to include Minister for Information, Lynda Tabuya, on his official trip to the Solomon Islands, just one month after being sworn in.

Mr Rabuka was part of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Honiara. He returned to Fiji on Thursday.

It is likely that Ms Tabuya will also travel with the Prime Minister and a Government delegation to open the Fijian embassy in Jerusalem, Israel, next week.

Ms Tabuya was sworn in as Minister for Information in August.

The Prime Minister had sacked her as Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection and appointed her assistant because of Ms Tabuya’s leaked private nude video that drew public criticism.

Mr Rabuka did not respond directly when questioned about public concerns on why Ms Tabuya was part of the government’s delegation.  

Instead, the Prime Minister said: “The very questions that you asked and the number of questions that you asked dictate that there is a need for a better understanding of what is going on in Israel, why we are going there and what dangers, what benefits will come out of our setting our embassy up in Jerusalem rather than in Tel Aviv. So that will help inform the public about what's going on.”

In Honiara, Ms Tabuya avoided the Fiji media when approached for an interview.

In one instance, she blocked the Fiji media from interviewing the Prime Minister.

But when asked for her comments multiple times on public concerns regarding her trip, she deferred the requests.

During the Ocean of Peace commemorative event on Wednesday, she was “told off” by a senior Fijian diplomat to vacate her front row seat and move to the back before the Fijian delegation sat on the floor to present a whale’s tooth to show their appreciation to the Forum leaders for accepting and endorsing Mr Rabuka’s Ocean of Peace concept.

Prime Minister Rabuka then sat in the first row with Minister for Public Works and Transport, Ro Filipe Tuisawau, who has replaced Mr Rabuka at the Forum leaders retreat in Munda, Western Province.

In the recent past, the Coalition Government has come under heavy public scrutiny for several overseas trips, raising critical questions about taxpayers’ money.