There have been mixed reactions following the revelation by Head of the Technical Secretariat for the National Council for Building a Better Fiji, John Samy, on his fees.
Samy confirmed that he is receiving $12,000 per month plus received a car and housing.
He said his pay was less than the amount budgeted by the NCBBF which is $157,500.
The Head of TASS reiterated that he is receiving about one-third of his normal consultancy fee.
Samy said that he did not charge anything for the services he provided last year, when preparatory work began on the setting up of the National Council and believes it is only fair that he receives an adequate amount of fees for the work he will do this year.
Meanwhile, NCBBF member and a Co-Chair of a Working Group in the NCBBF, Ratu Josateki Nawalowalo said people should look at the bigger picture instead of concentrating on how much tax dollars is spent on the salaries.
Nawalowalo said the aim should now be to get the Charter process on track. He said questions being raised about transparency in relation to the Charter process were short sighted.
The Provincial Youth Forum has stressed that the Government has the right to use taxpayers money in any way they see appropriate.
Rupeni Silimaibau, project manager for the Provincial Forum and NCBBF-member, said with the amount of work the consultants are carrying out, their pay is included in their job description.
Meanwhile, another member of the NCBBF and Nasinu Mayor, Rajeshwar Kumar said he was unaware that overseas consultants hired to assist the formulation of the People's Charter were receiving large sums of money as salary.
Kumar said that the media had highlighted a lot about their pay however they should also think about the future of Fiji after the formation of the Charter, which is the bigger picture.
But, ousted Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase said since taxpayers funds were involved, the National Council should reveal how the money was being spent.
Earlier today it was revealed to FijiVillage that five overseas consultants working with the NCBBF receive between $90-190,000.
High on the agenda on tomorrow’s meeting is a briefing by the Elections Commission on the progress of their work programme for the March 2009 elections. The NCBBF will also welcome five new people to the council.
Samy is one of a number of overseas consultants, hired to assist in the formulation of the People's Charter, whose salaries are part of the $2.4m budgeted for the work of the National council this year.
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Are Consultants’ Pay Justified?
