People’s Alliance Party Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka says Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama should have attended the COP26 meeting in Glasgow virtually from Suva and he is also calling on the Prime Minister to donate his overseas travel allowance to the Social Welfare Ministry to assist people affected by COVID-19.
As the Prime Minister left the country to attend the COP26 meeting, Rabuka says the time for just saying the same old things is over and we must act now to save the planet.
Rabuka says he supports the initiative to attend the meeting as he was the Prime Minister when the first world conference was held in Rio however he says Fiji should have attended the meeting virtually from home due to the great economic difficulties faced by our country and also take a strong stand on wanting real action.
Rabuka also confirms that he had sent the Prime Minister a message to donate his overseas travel allowance to assist those seriously affected by COVID-19. He says according to his calculation, the allowance of $3,000 a day and assuming the Prime Minister will be away for 18 days, it would amount to $54,000.
The former Prime Minister says there is an issue of particular public interest to be considered in view of our government’s shortage of money and the poverty that afflicts maybe 50 percent of the population.
Rabuka says the savings from the trip would have made it possible to increase the number of people in need to receive the imminent payment of $360 from the government.
Rabuka says on the Glasgow mission, the Prime Minister and Attorney General will no doubt be concentrating on freeing up the billions of dollars in climate finance needed by vulnerable countries such as Fiji to weather the crisis.
He says according to a recent report, Fiji requires an investment of at least US$1.98 billion to assist with this.
Rabuka says in view of Fiji’s near-crippling debt burden, whatever funds are arranged will have to be offered on very liberal terms. He says grants would be better.
Fijivillage has sent questions to the Prime Minister.
We are awaiting his response.
