Acting Director of Public Prosecutions John Rabuku has responded to calls for his resignation by Attorney-General Graham Leung and Fiji Law Society President Wylie Clarke, asserting that only the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has the authority to make such a decision. Rabuku emphasized that their public calls were an attempt to override the JSC’s role and affirmed his intention to step down in compliance with the Supreme Court’s ruling last week, regardless of his personal views on the matter.
Two new legislations will be presented in Parliament next week that will exempt Members of Parliament from paying taxes on private vehicles and personal imports. The Value Added Tax (Budget Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Customs Tariff (Budget Amendment) Bill 2024 will extend this benefit, previously exclusive to the President, to all MPs.
In business news, ANZ Bank has critiqued the Government’s approach to budget repair, noting that deferring essential expenditure cuts will delay improvements in the budget balance and debt-to-GDP ratios. ANZ economists Dr. Kishti Sen and Tom Kenny have suggested that addressing operating costs more aggressively could expedite fiscal stability as outlined in the proposed 2024-2025 national budget.
Inspector Unaisi Mateiwai of the Fiji Police Force’s Sexual Offences and Child Abuse unit has highlighted the crucial role of parents in preventing child crime during a recent Christian rally. She warned that parents could be held legally accountable if their lack of supervision leads to serious offenses like sexual assault or rape by their children. Mateiwai pointed out that unrestricted access to inappropriate content on social media contributes to these crimes and urged parents to monitor their children’s activities online. She called for parents to be vigilant, aware of their children’s surroundings, and involved in their upbringing to foster a safer environment.
These developments underline the importance of shared responsibility and proactive engagement by parents to safeguard the well-being of children and promote positive growth.