Crossbench Member of Parliament Mosese Bulitavu has defended a special dinner hosted by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
The dinner, held on Tuesday evening at Suva’s Grand Pacific Hotel, was an occasion for the Prime Minister to recognize the efforts of Government Ministers and Assistant Ministers over the past two years. Spouses also joined the event.
Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry criticized the dinner, describing it as ‘lavish’ and ‘sickening,’ and argued that such extravagance is particularly embarrassing given Fiji’s frequent requests for financial aid from Australia and New Zealand. His comments have highlighted concerns over the Government’s financial decisions.
Minister for Finance Biman Prasad referred all comments to Mr. Rabuka, who did not provide a statement when approached yesterday. Questions have been sent, and a response is awaited.
Defending the event, Mr. Bulitavu stated that the dinner was funded through the Prime Minister’s Entertainment Account, a budget allocation that has existed for years. He also pointed out that Mr. Chaudhry should be the last person to question Prime Minister Rabuka, citing Mr. Chaudhry’s 2014 conviction for breaching the Exchange Control Act and a subsequent fine of US$1.1 million.