PM’s motion passed to reduce overseas travel allowances for the PM, Ministers, Assistant Ministers, Leader of Opposition and MPs

November 22, 2023 by EUNILITO

The prime minister’s motion was passed to reduce overseas travel allowances for the prime minister, ministers, assistant ministers, the leader of the opposition and MPs

Parliament has passed the Prime Minister’s motion to reduce the rates payable for overseas travel allowances for the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Assistant Ministers, the Leader of the Opposition and members of the Parliament from December 1, 2023, although the opposition opposed the motion saying that it must wait. for the report of the Parliamentary Emoluments Committee.

While introducing the motion, the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, says that the current overseas travel allowance under the Parliamentary Remuneration Act 2014 for the Prime Minister is the UNDP subsistence allowance plus 100 percent, for Cabinet Ministers the UNDP subsistence allowance plus 50 percent, for Assistant Ministers the UNDP subsistence allowance. plus 25%, the Leader of the Opposition UNDP subsistence allowance plus 50%, and for Members of Parliament (including the Deputy Speaker, the Government/Opposition Whip and the UNDP subsistence allowance plus 25%).

Rabuka moved this amendment to the determination to enter into force from December 1 of this year until the time when the Committee on Parliamentary Emoluments presents its report in Parliament and the debate and the subsequent vote took place.

The Prime Minister says that before the enactment of the Parliamentary Remunerations law in 2014, the salaries of the interim cabinet ministers were a State secret and paid through a private accounting firm, despite being the subject of a request of audit.

Rabuka says immediately after assuming office in December last year, he announced his intention to reduce ministerial salaries and travel allowances. He says, unfortunately, this has not been operational due to some legal opinions received by them.

Rabuka says that the current formula put in place by the previous government for the calculation of these allowances is excessive and the motion seeks to correct that anomaly.

He says that the formula proposed today significantly reduces the daily allowance while remaining suitable for the officials concerned.

The Prime Minister says the 2016 formula was exorbitant.

28 MPs voted for the Prime Minister’s motion, 5 did not vote while 21 MPs abstained.

Seruiratu opposes the PM’s motion to reduce the overseas travel allowance now

By Navitalai Naivalurua

Wednesday 22/11/2023

Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu opposed the Prime Minister’s motion to reduce overseas travel allowances for the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers, the Leader of the Opposition and Members at present, and questioned the Prime Minister’s timetable for raising the motion to reduce the taxes payable for overseas travel allowance and also asked whether the Minister of Finance has forced to file this motion.

While speaking about the motion presented by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Seruiratu questioned the purpose of this motion.

He says they are confused because they had already submitted their mandate earlier this year.

He also says that his contradiction that what they will decide today will be implemented on December 1, 2023, while the work of the Parliamentary Emoluments Committee will be finished next year.

The leader of the opposition also asks if it happened to satisfy the Minister of Finance, Professor Biman Prasad who spoke about this issue in the media.

He also asks who is the head of the coalition government.