Salary vote chaos, MPs can lose seat if party directive not followed

Minister for Employment Relations, Agni Deo Singh who abstained from voting in the motion to increase the salaries and benefits of the President, Speaker, Ministers, Leader of the Opposition and Members of Parliament on Saturday, says he made a mistake and has written to the Speaker to change his vote to voting against the motion.

National Federation Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Professor Biman Prasad made it clear that the party’s stand was that they cannot support the motion to increase the salaries and benefits.

According to Section 63 of the Fijian Constitution, the seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant if the member votes or abstains from voting in Parliament contrary to any direction issued by the political party for which he or she was a candidate at the time he or she was elected to Parliament, without obtaining the prior permission of the political party; or if the Member of Parliament is expelled from the political party for which he or she was a candidate at the time he or she was elected to Parliament and the expulsion was in accordance with the rules of the political party relating to party discipline.

When questioned by fijivillage News on him abstaining, Agni Deo Singh says he has written to the Speaker on Friday night as he mistakenly thought the red cross button was meant for voting against the motion however it was for abstaining from voting.

Singh says the entire parliamentary system went through an upgrade and he was not familiar with the new system.

He says he agrees 200 percent that there should be no salary increases, and he is waiting for his vote to be changed.

NFP Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Professor Biman Prasad says all members of NFP voted against the motion except Singh.

Prof. Prasad says the Minister for Employment Relations mistakenly pressed the wrong button and he has clarified it to the Speaker of Parliament.

The FijiFirst Party FijiFirst Party President, Ratu Joji Satakala has said on the official facebook page that they will be taking action against 16 MPs, including Leader of the Opposition Inia Seruiratu, who went against the party directive and voted for salary and benefit increases for the President, Prime Minister, Ministers, Assistant Ministers, Deputy Speaker, Whips, Speaker, Leader of Opposition and Members of Parliament.

He says these members were Mosese Bulitavu, Sanjay Kirpal, Semi Koroilavesau, Shalen Kumar, Virendra Lal, loane Naivalurua, Sachida Nand, Vijay Nath, Viliame Naupoto, Ratu Josaia Niudamu, Penioni Ravunawa, Taito Rokomatu, Inia Seruiratu, Alipate Tuicolo, Naisa Tuinaceva and Jone Usamate.

Ratu Joji, in a post on the party's Facebook page says all FijiFirst supporters and Fijian citizens are informed that all FijiFirst Members of Parliament were directed specifically by the Acting General Secretary, Faiyaz Koya in a caucus meeting on Friday morning and in writing after lunch on the same day to vote against or abstain from voting on the salary and benefit increase.

Stay with us for developments.