Fiji govt criticised as PM undergoes surgery in Australia

Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama is recovering from cardiovascular surgery in Melbourne, Australia and is not expected back at work until the end of February.

During a late night national address, Fiji's Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum ended weeks of speculation by confirming both he and Bainimarama were abroad for scheduled medical reviews.

"Our prime minister was informed by his physician that he needed to undertake an urgent cardiovascular-related surgical procedure," Sayed-Khaiyum said.

"He underwent the procedure yesterday morning. And we are very happy to report that it was a great success. He's now well on his way to recovery.

"In fact, he's already spoken with his family members. But the doctor's orders this type of surgery takes weeks at a minimum to recover from. So we expect to have a prime minister back at the helm of the nation, fitter than ever, by the end of next month."

Sayed-Khaiyum has just returned from medical checks in Singapore and is acting prime minister, taking over from Inia Seruiratu, the Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management.

Earlier, the government was criticised for its handling of the prime minister's sudden departure overseas.

Bainimarama was last seen in public attending the funeral of an official from the iTaukei Affairs Board in Suva on 5 January.

Following the devastating floods caused by Tropical Cyclone Cody on 10 January, the prime minister was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, Seruiratu had been doing the rounds - visiting affected areas.

Seruiratu has also has acted as prime minister in Bainimarama's absence in the past.

Tropical Cyclone Cody left one person dead and widespread damage to homes and infrastructure.

A massive clean-up campaign is underway across the country.

When contacted earlier yesterday, Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said Bainimarama was overseas but he could not give any details about the prime minister's visit.

"The prime minister is abroad but the details of his visit are not with me. I have been in the islands the last week and have only got back into town.

"But maybe you could talk to the Minister for Economy and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum."

Fiji's opposition said Bainimarama should have informed the public before leaving the country.

National Federation Party leader Biman Prasad told RNZ Pacific Fijians have a right to know what had happened to their leader.

"We don't know anything as far as who is the acting prime minister if the prime minister is not in the country," Prasad said.

"We don't know why the prime minister is away. There is no information from the government.

"We have the right to ask questions, where the prime minister is. In any decent democracy - if the prime minister is going abroad, the honourable thing for the government to do is to inform the people," the NFP leader said.

"If he's not around and people are asking questions, then it's incumbent upon the government to say where he is and why he's not seen around."

It was not unusual for the Fijian leader to travel overseas for medical assistance.

But critics said that if the prime minister was not able to seek medical treatment in Fiji amid the Covid-19 pandemic, he could be in a serious condition.

Former Fijian prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka said Bainimarama should have made an official announcement to Cabinet and to the nation if he was not in the country.

"There should have been an announcement if the prime minister was not here," Rabuka said.

"They should have announced before he left the Cabinet. And the prime minister informs Cabinet I'm going away for two weeks and in my absence, so and so will be acting PM.

"We need to be confident that the leaders are speaking to us and not listening to this minister, whose portfolio is totally different from health, talking to us about health or another minister talking to us with a different portfolio talking about another portfolio," said Rabuka, who is now leader of the Peoples Alliance Party.