Opposition MP Jone Usamate has accused former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum of hypocrisy, describing his appeal for MPs who opposed a parliamentary pay raise to donate their earnings to charity as “disingenuous.” This remark followed Sayed-Khaiyum’s recent statement urging those lawmakers to demonstrate their commitment to ethics by giving the funds to charitable organizations.
Sayed-Khaiyum suggested that if MPs truly believed in their decision to oppose the pay rise, they would have already acted to support worthy causes or established a trust fund to aid those in need. He argued that failure to do so would make them just as culpable as their peers who supported the pay increase.
In his response, Usamate pointed out that Sayed-Khaiyum had previously opposed a $15,000 constituency allowance for MPs while serving as the general secretary of FijiFirst. Despite this, he later accepted the allowance to help clear party debts stemming from what Usamate described as Sayed-Khaiyum’s poor financial management.
Usamate highlighted the former attorney-general’s controversial handling of funds, arguing that genuine adherence to principles would have prompted Sayed-Khaiyum to donate the money rather than apply it to liabilities he had created. Additionally, he alleged that Sayed-Khaiyum left FijiFirst with a significant debt of nearly $700,000, which he said was a burden for the party’s creditors.
Usamate criticized Sayed-Khaiyum for calling out others on ethical grounds, suggesting that his own record demonstrates a pattern of contradictory behavior and a lack of transparency. He noted that while MPs are expected to contribute to their communities financially, Sayed-Khaiyum paid himself a substantial salary of $235,000—a stark contrast to the $50,000 received by other government MPs and Opposition backbenchers.
The core of Usamate’s argument emphasizes the imbalances in leadership and accountability and calls for Sayed-Khaiyum to reflect on his own actions before critiquing the decisions of others.
This situation underscores a broader concern about ethical governance and accountability in political leadership. Hopefully, continued dialogue on these issues will lead to greater transparency and responsibility among elected officials, ultimately benefiting the Fijian community.
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