Rabuka and Prasad say deferment of the April sitting of Parliament is making a mockery of democracy

SODELPA Leader Sitiveni Rabuka and National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad have released a statement saying the deferment of the April sitting of Parliament is making a mockery of democracy and good governance in Fiji.

According to a Parliamentary statement, the April sitting of parliament has been deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the life-saving directives and restrictions put in place by the Ministry of Health.

However, the two political party leaders claim next week’s parliament sitting has been deferred after the bulldozed government majority decision of the Parliamentary Business Committee, was conveyed through Flying Minute.

Rabuka and Prasad say they are disappointed at this unilateral decision that was raised via a flying minute, rather than convening of the Business Committee, whose 8 members could have easily been called to meet and discuss such a far-reaching decision.

Rabuka and Prasad added that the Flying Minute that the Business Committee is seen to have approved the deferment by 4 votes to 2, with 4 government members agreeing to deferment, while the 2 SODELPA members opposed.

The 2 NFP members did not vote because their Whip who is also a member of the Business Committee, was in police custody.

According to the statement, the NFP Leader was the alternative member but was busy in the aftermath of NFP Whip’s police detention. Rabuka and Prasad say parliamentary calendar is already very short, with only 40 sitting days in one year despite the Opposition’s request for more sitting days and such a deferment will further reduce sittings for the 2019-2020 session to 30 days only.

We have contacted government whip, Alvick Maharaj and a response is expected soon.

The Parliamentary Business Committee has agreed that all Parliamentary business for the April sitting of parliament be dealt with in the May sitting which is scheduled to take place from 25th to 29th May, 2020.