NFP criticizes committee appointment

The National Federation Party has today labelled the appointment of certain persons in the new Public Accounts Committee as an act of nepotism and cronyism.

General Secretary, Pramod Rae said the committee comprises of the interim government's sympathizers and former interim ministers namely Manu Korovulavula, Adi Laufitu Malani and Jainend Kumar.

Rae also said the committee members like Taufa Vakatale who was part of the Human Rights Commission instituted inquiry team and Kamlesh Arya who is a member of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji, are apologists of the interim government.

The NFP General Secretary said under the constitution and Parliamentary Standing Orders, the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee is an appointee of the Leader of Opposition and under parliamentary democracy, majority of the members of the committee are opposition parliamentarians.

However Interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama maintains that they have taken the step to appoint the Public Accounts Committee members to scrutinize the Auditor Generals reports.

Although Rae said the constitution has been breached, Bainimarama on the other hand said that the negative comments will not achieve anything.