I have not stifled any debate that political parties bring to the floor – Speaker

The Speaker of Parliament Ratu Epeli Nailatikau has clarified in Parliament that he has not stifled any debate on health or any other issues that political parties wish to bring to parliament for debate.

While explaining his ruling where he had disallowed Lenora Qereqeretabua’s Motion to ask Parliament to set up a bipartisan parliamentary committee under Standing Order 129, to critically analyse, assess and report on the effectiveness of the Ministry of Health’s response to the COVID-19 Health Emergency, during the three waves of the pandemic affecting Fiji, he says that this matters can be dealt with by the Standing Committee on Social Affairs.

He says there is no need to have a separate committee, given that there is already an existing mechanism in place.

Ratu Epeli says in the course of the Standing Committees enquiries, members of the Committee can ask questions and make enquiries of this nature.

He says when the Business Committee rules out questions and motions, the Secretariat duly takes note and thereafter implements this ruling in similar questions and motions that are submitted such as this motion.

The Speaker says, therefore, this motion is out of order.

NFP General Secretary Seni Nabou says the Speaker’s decision comes at a time when the public health and medical system is in a state of decay with dirty and unkempt hospital buildings, dysfunctional diagnostic equipment making it extremely difficult for doctors to provide decent medical care and lack of medication. She says the Government may well have lifted the curfew first imposed almost two years ago after the outbreak of the first wave of COVID-19 in March 2020 but the Government’s handling of the crisis in respect of three waves of the pandemic is highly questionable.

She adds 1,660 people have died directly from COVID or COVID related.

Nabou says in the case of Qereqeretabua, the Parliament Secretariat informed NFP that because this motion was already listed on a draft order paper of 16th August 2021, but consequently ruled out by the Business Committee then it should not be brought up again now.

She questioned the Secretariat as to how is this kind of unilateral decision even logical, or in the best interest of taxpayers who are gripped by the uncertainty.