Crossbencher Member of Parliament Mosese Bulitavu has defended the special dinner hosted by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
The dinner, held on Tuesday evening at Suva’s Grand Pacific Hotel, served as an acknowledgment of the efforts and commitment of Government Ministers and Assistant Ministers over the past two years. Spouses also attended the event.
On Wednesday, former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry described the dinner as ‘lavish’ and ‘sickening,’ criticizing the government for its extravagance at a time when Fiji frequently seeks budget support from Australia and New Zealand.
Minister for Finance Biman Prasad directed all comments to Mr. Rabuka. When approached yesterday, Mr. Rabuka did not provide a statement. This publication has also sent questions and is awaiting a response.
Defending the event, Mr. Bulitavu stated that the dinner is funded under the Prime Minister’s Entertainment Account, a budget allocation that has existed for years. He remarked that Mr. Chaudhry should be the last person to question Prime Minister Rabuka, referring to Mr. Chaudhry’s 2014 conviction for breaching the Exchange Control Act by investing money outside Fiji without informing the Reserve Bank, for which he was fined US$1.1 million.
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