Crossbench Member of Parliament Mosese Bulitavu has come to the defense of Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s special dinner, described by some as ‘lavish’. The event, hosted on Tuesday evening at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, was organized to appreciate the contributions of Government Ministers and Assistant Ministers over the past two years. The special dinner also included the spouses of those officials.
Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry criticized the dinner, calling it ‘lavish’ and ‘sickening.’ He stated that such extravagance is particularly inappropriate given Fiji’s frequent need for budget support from Australia and New Zealand. This criticism has highlighted concerns over the Government’s financial decisions.
When asked to comment, Minister for Finance Biman Prasad redirected all inquiries to Mr. Rabuka, who has not yet responded. The publication has also reached out with questions and is waiting for a reply.
Mosese Bulitavu defended the event, stating that it was financed through the Prime Minister’s Entertainment Account, an allocation that has been in place for years. He also suggested that Mr. Chaudhry is in no position to question Prime Minister Rabuka, citing Chaudhry’s 2014 conviction for breaching the Exchange Control Act by investing money abroad without informing the Reserve Bank, for which he was fined US$1.1 million.
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