Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry has criticized the decision to provide personal laptops and high-end mobile phones to Members of Parliament at the expense of taxpayers, especially amidst the current critical financial situation of the nation.
In a recent statement, Chaudhry expressed his astonishment that Parliament is moving forward with recommendations from its Emoluments Committee, suggesting that each member receive a laptop and a top-of-the-line mobile phone.
“Is this what the Government should prioritize when there are far more urgent national issues needing funding?” he questioned.
He noted that just last week, the general secretary of the Fiji Teachers Union highlighted that the Government had yet to release 50% of the Free Education Grant for Term 2.
Chaudhry pointed out that MPs already have access to computers and other resources at their parliamentary offices. He also reminded that earlier this year, they had raised their own salaries, allowances, and constituency funds despite public discontent, asserting they should be capable of purchasing their own devices.
Moreover, he mentioned that each political party in Parliament receives $325,000 annually from the national budget, questioning why those funds aren’t used to supply laptops and mobile phones for party members.
Chaudhry further emphasized that MPs enjoy duty-free vehicle imports and are among the wealthiest public officials in the country. He concluded that this latest expense from the public purse appears to favor self-enrichment at the cost of struggling taxpayers.