Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has addressed the controversy surrounding the recent opulent dinner held at the Grand Pacific Hotel (GPH) in Suva. This event, hosted by Mr. Rabuka last Tuesday, was designed to foster fellowship and team bonding among Ministers, Assistant Ministers, and their partners.
Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry criticized the gathering as “lavish and sickening,” arguing that it was an inappropriate choice given Fiji’s dependence on Australia and New Zealand for budget support.
In response to the criticism, Mr. Rabuka explained that the dinner fell under the Prime Minister’s Entertainment Budget. This clarification was previously made by crossbencher MP Mosese Bulitavu, who defended the event and pointed to Mr. Chaudhry’s past financial conduct involving investments abroad without notifying the Reserve Bank of Fiji, for which he was fined $2.47 million in 2014.
Mr. Rabuka emphasized that the dinner aimed to enhance team building, noting that there were only three days left in the budget year and that funds from the Entertainment Budget had not yet been utilized. He considered this an opportune time to host the event in light of a recent team bonding initiative organized by the Public Service Commission for civil servants.
In the current budget for 2024-2025, the Office of the Prime Minister received an allocation of $28.4 million, down from $50.8 million in the previous 2023-2024 budget. Mr. Rabuka expressed confidence in the positive impact such gatherings can have on morale, stating that the event allowed Ministers and their partners to connect outside of the usual office setting.