Crossbencher Member of Parliament Mosese Bulitavu has defended the special dinner hosted by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. The event took place on Tuesday evening at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva. It was organized to acknowledge the efforts and commitment of government ministers and assistant ministers over the past two years. The ministers’ spouses were also in attendance.
Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry criticized the dinner, calling it ‘lavish’ and ‘sickening,’ and argued that such extravagance is embarrassing, especially considering Fiji’s frequent requests for budget support from Australia and New Zealand. This criticism has highlighted concerns about the government’s financial decisions.
Minister for Finance Biman Prasad directed all comments to Prime Minister Rabuka, who did not provide a comment when approached on Wednesday. Questions have been sent to Mr. Rabuka, and a response is awaited.
Defending the event, Mr. Bulitavu stated that it was funded through the Prime Minister’s Entertainment Account, a budget allocation that has existed for years. He asserted that Mr. Chaudhry should be the last person to question Prime Minister Rabuka, referencing Chaudhry’s 2014 conviction for breaching the Exchange Control Act by investing money outside Fiji without informing the Reserve Bank, for which he was fined US$1.1 million.