Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Fiji's Prime Minister has dismissed criticism regarding MPs enriching themselves following the government's tender for high-end laptops and mobile phones for legislators.
The government's Information Technology and Computing Services is inviting reputable businesses to submit proposals for supplying these electronic devices.
The move has sparked widespread criticism, with a former prime minister stating that MPs are focusing on "self-enrichment" instead of pressing issues affecting the people.
However, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said at a news conference on Wednesday that the new laptops and phones would not be provided to all parliamentarians.
"It's not a personal issue which [MPs will] take away. It's all returned," he told reporters in Suva during the post-Cabinet press briefing.
He explained that the decision to purchase new devices could be due to MPs' putting in requests to the parliament office.
"Mine are working very well, so I do not need to have them changed," he said.
"Not everyone [will be receiving a new device]. Only those that really need to have theirs changed will get them."
He said four years - the length of a parliamentary term in Fiji - was a long time in technology.
"Some of the things in our current laptop may not be relevant anymore. But the apps may be there but how do you fit it into your mobile...things will probably have changed," Rabuka said.
His deputy and finanace minister, Biman Prasad, told The Fiji Times that the matter does not involve the ministers.
"Parliament has a budget. It's the parliament's perogative to provide support to members," the finance minister said.
According to the Fiji Public Services Association, spending of public money in such a way "reflected a disturbing disconnect" of the nation's lawmakers from ordinary Fijians.
"We urge the government to immediately halt this culture of entitlement and redirect resources towards addressing the urgent needs of our people," the association's general-secretary, Judith Kotobalavu, was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
The submissions for the tender proposals will close on 25 October.
