19 January, 2026, 2:13 pm Central - 27°C Rain

Rabuka says despite everything Bainimarama had put him through, he still considers Bainimarama his friend

Rabuka says despite everything Bainimarama had put him through, he still considers Bainimarama his friend

By Vijay Narayan
19/01/2023
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka

Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka says despite everything Voreqe Bainimarama had put him through, Rabuka still considers Bainimarama his friend.

Rabuka has posted on his official facebook page and tagged Bainimarama, saying he knows Bainimarama needs a quarters as the Leader of the Opposition.

The Prime Minister says he was Leader of the Opposition for two years, and he would have performed much better if he had official rent-free quarters.

Rabuka says he could work from home.

He says at the moment you have grandchildren, great grandchildren running over your feet while you’re trying to work and prepare yourself for the next debate.

Rabuka says Bainimarama could do that much better if he had an official quarters which Rabuka has made available for him - an official quarters at rent free.

In another facebook post last night, Rabuka says it was difficult but not impossible to live without a pension.

He says he collected plastic bottles along the seawall and then he saw somebody else collecting plastic bottles. Rabuka says he ended up collecting bottles for the man.

Rabuka says it was difficult, there was no car but they had a small family car.

He says the government led by Voreqe Bainimarama, removed Rabuka’s pension and entitlements including use of an official government vehicle as a former Prime Minister.

Rabuka says he had to find ways of remaining above water.

He says he was in a lot of debt.

He owed a lot of money to the bank to acquire the Vanua Levu estate, and he had calculated his earnings for almost the rest of his life in politics.

Rabuka says then he got defeated in 1999 and was out of Parliament.

He says because of his election to be the Great Council of Chiefs chair, he couldn’t do both.

Rabuka says he had to sell up a lot of things to reduce his debt and it was difficult.

FEATURE NEWS
Shocking move : FNU reassigned under PM
The Fiji National University is being reassigned under the Prime Minister's Office Ministerial Portfolio via the Ministry of Strategic Planning, Natio...
3 hours ago
LATEST NEWS
Referendum Bill risks undermining democracy - Dialogue Fiji
The National Referendum Bill risks undermining democracy by criminalising political expression, enabling state overreach and excluding young people ...
44 minutes ago

Roger Allers, ‘The Lion King’ Director, Dies at 76
Roger Allers, a longtime Disney writer and the co-director of the 1994 animated classic “The Lion King,” has died. He was 76.Allers’ death was ...
1 hour ago

Former drug user says only together can we protect our youth from drugs
Only together can we protect our youth from drugs.That was the powerful message from former drug user and Drug Free World Fiji representative ...
2 hours ago

EFL says defamation case against union filed before strike notice
Energy Fiji Limited says they filed a defamation case against Construction, Energy and Timber Workers Union of Fiji and its National Secretary John ...
2 hours ago

19-yr-old drowns after falling into Wailevu River, Labasa
A 19-year-old man from Wailevu, Labasa is believed to have drowned while fishing at the Wailevu River.Police say the man was fishing by the banks ...
2 hours ago



Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
IN DEPTH
Electricity tariff increase for users consuming more than 100 units
There is an increase in the electricity tariff rate for consumers using more than 100 units from 1 January next year.Fijian Competition and Consumer ...
17 days ago

Fiji needs to act on human trafficking indicators associated with Grace Road Group
The United States remains deeply concerned about indicators of trans-national organised crime and human trafficking in Fiji associated with the Grace ...
28 days ago

Cheap seed oils are not good for our health - O'Neill
With over 80 percent of deaths in Fiji caused by cardiovascular disease based on the 2011 report, naturopath and nutritionist Barbara O’Neill is ...
28 days ago

TOP