Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has addressed the criticism surrounding the recent extravagant special dinner held at the Grand Pacific Hotel (GPH). The event, hosted last Tuesday, was attended by Ministers, Assistant Ministers, and their spouses for an evening of fellowship and team bonding.
Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry condemned the gathering as “lavish and sickening,” questioning the appropriateness of such spending given Fiji’s ongoing reliance on financial assistance from Australia and New Zealand.
After attending a church service at the Centenary Church in Suva, Mr. Rabuka explained that the dinner was funded through the Prime Minister’s Entertainment Budget. This point was echoed by crossbencher MP Mosese Bulitavu, who defended the dinner and highlighted Chaudhry’s past financial dealings, which led to a significant fine in 2014 for investing outside Fiji without notifying the Reserve Bank of Fiji.
Mr. Rabuka stated, “It is still part of team building. We were three days short of the end of the budget year and the Prime Minister Entertainment Budget was not used.” He believed the dinner was a suitable way to utilize the remaining funds, especially following a week dedicated to civil service team bonding by the Public Service Commission.
In the National Budget for 2023-2024, the Office of the Prime Minister received an allocation of $50.8 million, while the current budget for 2024-2025 sees this amount reduced to $28.4 million. Rabuka emphasized the positive impact of morale-boosting events, expressing the intention to foster a collegial environment among Ministers and their spouses outside the formal office setting.