Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka appear on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has clarified that the funds that will be used for the Girmit and Ratu Sukuna Day celebrations is a one time thing and it will be different next year.

While speaking during the fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan, Rabuka says this is a one time expenditure.

He says the celebration can also be funded from the existing budget or savings from other areas.

The Prime Minister adds that this year will be the first time to celebrate both holidays as it will bring unity and also educate the younger generation on the great contribution our forefathers have made for the nation.

It has been confirmed that $500,000 each will be used for the Girmit and Ratu Sukuna Day celebration.

Girmit Day will be celebrated on the 15th of this month while Ratu Sukuna Day will be celebrated on the 29th.

The overseas allowances of the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers need to be reduced.

This has been stated by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka while speaking on fijivilage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan where he confirmed the review will be done soon because even the cabinet ministers are calling for it.

While responding to a question by Sumeet Singh if the Prime Minister is still getting $3,000 a day for overseas trips and allowances, Rabuka says at the moment, it is the same level because it has not been changed.

He says changing that will require the work of the Parliamentary Emoluments Committee and for it to be taken to parliament as an Act to Amend the Emoluments and Allowances.

While responding to a question on the review of the minimum wage, the Prime Minister says they want to know whether employers have implemented what government had promised and the effect on them.

Rabuka says he does not know whether people have reported that the employers have complied and he wants to know what the effect of that on society has been.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says he is not on a witch-hunt or out for revenge, and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum is generalising things as it is the law that hunts not people.

Rabuka has stressed this while speaking on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan while responding to claims by former Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum that it seems there is a political witch-hunt in respect to a number of matters.

Sayed-Khaiyum had made the comments while leaving the CID Headquarters earlier this month after being questioned in relation to reports lodged by the Acting Supervisor of Elections.

Rabuka says it was not him who lodged those reports.

While responding to a question about handling accountability since coming into government, Rabuka says he believes it is being handled properly and people must know that they are in office for only 4 years. INSERT: Rabuka on witch hunt rk 27 apr Rabuka says audits are still underway and if anybody who has been on the wrong side of the law will pay the price, irrespective of who they are or were.

He says he was subjected to a lot of that before but he is not going to do it for people if he does not have anything to report.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says when we are talking in a mixed group we should be mindful of what we say, and saying something religious does not mean they are trying to promote their own religion.

Rabuka made the comments while speaking on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan about questions raised by some people regarding religious, mainly Christian messages and content put on official government platforms.

He says he agrees with the view that we should be mindful of what people take offence at, and when they openly profess their religion, they must expect to be spoken against.

When questioned about the coalition government seeming to side with the iTaukei community even in major government appointments, Rabuka says people should not be unduly concerned about that.

He says they are trying to put the best qualified people and those who they would be most comfortable with as their advisors especially on boards.

The Prime Minister says they have a mission and want to put people they trust, know and can rely on to perform for them and for the people on task force for the mission.

Rabuka says there is no nepotism and revenge on former FijiFirst supporters. He adds he does not even know who are the FijiFirst supporters.

Watch the full Straight Talk video here: 

The nightclub hours are being reviewed as most complaints come from the people about young people being rowdy early in the morning while coming out of the nightclub after closing at 5am.

This has been highlighted by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka during the fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan when questioned on why the nightclub hours are being reviewed when the police force is not doing their job to monitor crowded places and many young boys are seen loitering and robbing at night.

Rabuka says a lot of this is causing social problems as well.

When questioned on why are culprits not being taken into custody or taken in for questioning, he says they are being taken in and the police have been conducting foot and mobile patrol.

Rabuka says reviewing the nightclub hours will also affect the income of the owners and the workers' hours.

The Prime Minister says they will have to look at all these factors that the authority will be conducting as they continue to review and send their recommendations to the authorities.

There will be a public consultation at Suvavou House from 10am to mid-day today on the proposed review of the nightclub hours.

You can watch the full Straight Talk interview here: 

Good news for the country as Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has given his assurance that the $800 million needed by the Water Authority of Fiji over 5 years to be able to get their assets in the condition that they can provide services to all Fijians, will be budgeted.

While speaking on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan, Rabuka says it is affordable and can be budgeted for.

Rabuka did not deny that Fiji will continue to have financial problems and stated that, at the moment, they cannot go and build expensive new bridges.

He says they are mindful that building new infrastructure is costly.

You can watch the full Straight Talk interview here: