Police are investigating FijiFirst MP Rinesh Sharma’s comments to the Australian media for the case where an Australian man had a self-inflicted wound after he argued with his wife in Ba.
Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad told fijivillage News that Sharma made these comments without understanding all the facts and is allegedly trying to sabotage Fiji’s economy.
In response to Professor Prasad’s comments, Sharma has called on the Deputy Prime Minister to get his facts right as he has not spoken to any Australian media, but rather news.com.au has taken a quote from his social media post where he requested the Fiji Police Force to increase presence and caution people on being safe.
This afternoon, FijiFirst MP, Viliame Naupoto says Professor Prasad’s call for the Fiji Police to investigate Rinesh Sharma for his comments on crime and high cost of living is disastrous to building up our democracy.
Naupoto says Prasad makes the call for Police investigations even when he himself is factually wrong in his attribution to Sharma.
He says in a democracy everyone has a right to speak freely on issues that they feel that are important to them and to the people.
Naupoto says as a Member of Parliament, Sharma posted on the very serious matter of the high cost of living currently experienced in Fiji and the rising crime rate as reported widely by the media, obviously contrary to Prasad’s view.
He says Prasad should be reminded that to air an opposing view to his is not an offence, and the usual response is to rebut with facts.
Naupoto says the fact that Prasad as a Deputy Prime Minister has publicly called on the Police to investigate Sharma puts pressure on the Fiji Police to do so and he hopes that the Fiji Police is not pressured because this call is public and is coming from a Deputy Prime Minister.
He also hopes that Prasad’s antics will not deter those who want to speak out on issues that matter to them.
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