Catanasiga reminds Govt of debt level before approving pay rise

Fiji Council of Social Services Executive Director Vani Catanasiga has reminded the Government to get their act together and be mindful of the fact that $1 billion out of the $4 billion allocated in the current National Budget was to deal with debt repayments, and the VAT increase recommended was never intended to build the revenue base to increase the salaries of the Members of Parliament.

Catanasiga says people are raising concerns on social media about the increase in salary for the MPs while the Chairperson for the Emoluments Committee and Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Lynda Tabuya is saying that there are no official complaints.

She voiced her frustration on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan and emphasized that Tabuya’s Ministry is the Ministry that should be looking after the vulnerable and the needy.

Catanasiga says those in the coalition government are unfortunately not bringing the level of decorum that is required of people who represent the voters in Parliament.

It has also been highlighted that section 9 of the Parliamentary Remunerations Act states that Parliament may, by resolution, appoint a committee that shall provide advice on the determination of remuneration.

The Act does not say that the committee has to be made up of Members of Parliament.

Fiji Public Service Association General Secretary, Judith Kotobalavu stresses they want an independent committee to be appointed and the increase in salaries should be reversed.

FCOSS and FPSA have also started an online petition against the salary increases of the MPs and they are demanding for the government to rescind the earlier motion passed to increase the salaries, refer the matter to an independent committee not made up of MPs, have public consultations, amend the Parliamentary Remunerations Act to also include the public to have a say on the performance of the MPs, increase civil servants’ salaries that has not been done since 2017 and to increase the national minimum wage rate.

You can watch the full Straight Talk interview on our website, fijivillage.