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 in light of the country’s challenging financial situation. Chaudhry expressed his astonishment that Parliament is following the Emoluments Committee’s recommendation to supply each member with these devices.
He questioned the government’s priorities, pointing out that there are far more urgent national issues requiring funding. He referenced a recent complaint from the general secretary of the Fiji Teachers Union, who noted that the government had not yet released half of the Free Education Grant for Term 2.
Chaudhry highlighted that MPs already have access to computers, staff services, and other resources at their parliamentary offices. He also reminded that earlier this year, MPs had awarded themselves significant pay increases and allowances, despite public discontent, implying they could afford their own devices.
Additionally, he noted that each political party in Parliament receives an annual allocation of $325,000 from the national budget, questioning why those funds are not utilized to purchase laptops and phones for party MPs. He also pointed out that MPs are permitted duty-free imports of vehicles, making them some of the wealthiest officials in the country. He concluded that this latest action reflects a troubling trend of self-enrichment at the cost of taxpayers.