Opposition leader Inia Seruiratu, left, and Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, right, shake hands after a parliamentary session. Photo: Facebook.com/Parliament of the Republic of Fiji
The Fiji Labour Party leader says members of parliament, who are "among the richest and most highly endowed" people in the country, are focusing on "self-enrichment" rather than "pressing national issues".
Mahendra Chaudhry is questioning MPs' decision-making for proceeding with a recommendation which was made by the Parliamentary Emoluments Committee earlier this year, which meant they would be getting new laptops and the latest mobile phones.
According to a Fiji Times report, MPs are to receive Windows 11 Business or Pro laptops and a "latest" high-end mobile phone.
"The laptops being sought are to be 14-inch screen, pen and touch screen usage and have storage of 512 gigabyte or 1 terabyte. The phone description in the tender is only stated as 'high-end mobile devices - latest'," the newspaper reported.
"Is this the kind of priorities government should be concerned with when there are much more pressing national issues for which funds are required?" the former prime minister asked in a statement on Monday.
"Just a week or so ago we heard the FTU (Fiji Teachers Union) general secretary complaining that government had still not released 50 percent of the Free Education Grant for Term 2," he said.
Chaudhry said the supply of personal laptops and top of the range mobile phones for MPs at taxpayers' expense was "totally unwarranted given the current critical state of national finances".
The Labour Party said MPs already had access to computers, staffing services and other facilities at their parliamentary office.
It said earlier this year MPs awarded themselves huge pay increases and allowances, and constituency allowances despite strong opposition from the people.
The party said parliamentarians could afford to purchase their own laptops and mobile phones.
"Each political party in Parliament now gets F$325,000 annually from the national budget. Why is this money not used to buy personal computers and mobile phones for party MPs?
"One should also not forget that MPs have allowed themselves duty free imports of vehicles. They are among the richest and most highly endowed 'executives' in our country.
"This latest dip in the public purse smacks too much of self-enrichment at the expense of the poor taxpayer."