Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has formally apologized to the nation for the miscommunication that resulted in certain Opposition MPs not receiving invitations to state functions. This came in response to Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu’s comments in Parliament regarding the absence of Opposition members at the traditional welcome ceremony for Indian President Droupadi Murmu earlier this week.
Mr. Seruiratu noted that this exclusion marks the third time the Opposition has been left out from invitations for high-profile international visits to Fiji. In his statement, Mr. Rabuka clarified that the Opposition did not boycott the event; rather, it was an oversight by the Government. He expressed his unawareness of the situation and stated that such an incident “should not have happened.”
“I owe them (Opposition MPs), I owe the nation, an apology,” Mr. Rabuka stated, labeling the incident as a significant error by the protocol department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which he oversees. He explained that someone mistakenly reverted to a previous government’s policy, which excluded Opposition MPs from attending state functions.
Mr. Rabuka assured that this issue will not occur again, emphasizing that all legislators, including Members of Parliament, should be present at state occasions.