Should taxpayers be paying for the personal laptops and latest high end mobile phones for Members of Parliament?
Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry says he is surprised that Parliament is going ahead with the recommendations of its Parliamentary Emoluments Committee that each member be given a personal laptop and the latest high end mobile phones while Deputy Prime Minister, Professor Biman Prasad says the decision on the tender and the equipment is from the Parliamentary Secretariat as an independent institution.
Chaudhry asks is this the kind of priorities government should be concerned with when there are much more pressing national issues for which funds are required.
He says just a week or so ago we heard the Fiji Teachers Union General Secretary complaining that government had still not released 50 percent of the Free Education Grant for Term 2.
Chaudhry says the supply of personal laptops and top of the range mobile phones for MPs at taxpayers expense is totally unwarranted given the current critical state of national finances.
He says for one, the MPs have ready access to computers, staffing services and other facilities at their parliamentary office.
Chaudhry says earlier this year they awarded themselves huge pay increases and allowances, and constituency allowances despite strong opposition from the people.
He stresses they should be able to purchase their own laptops and mobile phones.
He also asks why is the money being given to the parties in parliament not used to buy personal computers and mobile phones for party MPs as each of these parties now gets $325,000 annually from the national budget.
Chaudhry says one should also not forget that MPs have allowed themselves duty free imports of vehicles.
The FLP Leader says the MPs are among the richest and most highly endowed ‘executives’ in our country, and this latest dip in the public purse smacks too much of self-enrichment at the expense of the poor taxpayer.
Deputy Prime Minister, Professor Biman Prasad says he knows the Prime Minister is right to ask the question whether this equipment is necessary however Parliament is independent.
He says he is not sure whether it is an upgrade but that is the decision of the Parliament.
Opposition MP, Ketan Lal says this is not a luxury or an indulgence but a necessity for ensuring they are able to fulfill their roles effectively.
Lal says every new term, MPs—especially those serving on committees—are equipped with essential gadgets to support their work.
He says being an MP is more than attending parliamentary sessions; it involves extensive research, communication, constituency management, and participation in various meetings and discussions (local, regional and international).
Lal says the truth is that the devices currently provided are substandard and inadequate for the demands placed on them for their parliamentary responsibilities.
He says the laptops they received last year — each costing around $5,000 — have been plagued with issues, rendering them practically unusable.
Lal says many MPs, including himself, have had to return these faulty devices to Parliament.
He understands that in response to issues with old set of laptops, a new set of tenders has been issued to procure gadgets that meet their professional requirements.
Lal goes on to say that for the Prime Minister to question MPs’ need for such devices, when he himself enjoys the privilege of state-of-the-art resources, is both ironic and disappointing.
He adds the Prime Minister’s Office is known for its access to high-end privileges, including luxury vehicles like latest landcruisers and top-tier mobile phones, all funded by taxpayers.
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