Parliamentary grant specifically for the needs and functioning of the Parliamentary office of parties

The Office of the Secretary-General to Parliament states that the Parliamentary grant are funds allocated to elected political parties in Parliament and are specifically for the administrative needs and functioning of the Parliamentary offices which are occupied by the three political parties.

The office says under the Political Parties Act, each political party must provide details pertaining to its sources of funding.

The Parliamentary grant is a lawful source under section 21(1)(b) of the Act and it is the responsibility of the parties to comply with the law and provide details pertaining to this funding source to the Registrar of Political Parties.

Meanwhile SODELPA General Secretary, Emele Duituturaga has today dismissed allegations that the Party Office is abusing the Parliamentary Grant.

SODELPA General Secretary, Emele Duituturaga

She says the annual Parliamentary Grant for 2020/2021, came with a new policy directive communicated to the Party Office through the Leader of Opposition that funds are solely for the use of the administrative needs of the Parliamentary office.

Duituturaga says SODELPA Headquarters Party Office staff salaries and operational overheads have been funded from MP deductions, donations and fundraising and not from the Parliamentary grant.

She says the staff of the Opposition Office are funded by the Parliamentary grant.

The General Secretary says the Party office has adhered to the policy directive and submitted monthly financial reports to the Leader of Opposition for the use of the Parliamentary grant.