Over $25 million was received through donations for the COP23 Presidency Trust Fund for the period ending 31st October, 2017

Over $25 million was received in the form of donations for the COP23 Presidency Trust Fund for the period ending 31st October, 2017.

The major donors comprised of Australia, European Union, Italy, India and New Zealand.

In addition to the available funding, a donation of $1.972 million was received from United Kingdom on 30th October, 2017 and credited to COP23 Presidency Trust Fund bank account in early 2017.

Expenditure of the Fund till 31st October 2017 amounted to almost $11.6 million leaving a balance of almost $13.5 million prior to the full payment of Pre-COP and Bonn COP23 expenses.

Parliament today debated on the ‘Review on the COP 23 Presidency Trust Fund-First Semi-Annual Report for the period of May 2017 to October 2017.

SODELPA MP, Aseri Radrodro says they had enquired on the proper and transparent disbursement of these funds and are yet to be advised whether proper tender processes and proper advertisements were done in terms of the utilisation of these funds.

He adds around $4.3 million has also come through donations but donors’ names have not been listed and the Secretariat did not provide the names after they had enquired about it.

He also questioned Minister for Defence and National Security, Inia Seruiratu as to when Fiji will have electric bikes as he had taken a photo with an electric bike while being the Climate Change champion.

Seruiratu says while they will love to have electric bikes in Fiji, they do not have the infrastructure as yet.

While responding to Radrodro’s statement, Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says some donors do not want to be listed.

Meanwhile, SODELPA parliamentarian, Viliame Gavoka says the whole country is today asking how an expatriate who is the CEO of an airline company is now the Chairman of the Fiji Development Bank.

While contributing during the debate of the Review on the COP 23 Presidency Trust Fund-First Semi Annual Report for the period of May 2017 to October 2017, Gavoka says why are we so disdainful of our people that we cannot find one to chair the FDB.