March 17, 2022
NFP describes the recent flurry of ministerial activity on the ground as
A conga line of ministers abusing taxpayers’ funds
“It is utterly shameful that the Fiji First government ministers have formed a conga line behind their master who is the Attorney-General and Economy Minister and are making a beeline for the people using valuable taxpayers funds when for more than three years they were enjoying the luxury in their ivory towers”.
This is how National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad has described the recent “flurry of activity” from Cabinet Ministers and Assistant Ministers visiting people “under the pretext of consultation and inspecting facilities”.
The NFP Leader has described these visits and meetings as pure electioneering and a gutter example of vote-buying”.
Professor Prasad said while the declaration of the official campaign period is 6 weeks away, the ministers have suddenly found time, energy and resources to “scurry all over the country like squeaking, hissing and chattering rats”.
“Leading the conga line is the AG and Economy Minister. In an attempt to please him, ministers are falling in line and dancing to their master’s tune”.
“So much so that the Education Minister is bending rules set by her own ministry for teachers to stay in their classes during school hours by getting her officers to call individual school heads to release teachers during school hours to attend her gatherings”.
“On Monday the Minister had one such gathering in Lautoka during school hours which meant students were denied quality face to face learning when their teachers were away because the Education Minister was more important than students”.
“Teachers are disciplined or their salaries docked for late arrivals that may be beyond their control. But it is okay for them to miss their teaching duties just because the Minister insists on it”.
“Then we have the Agriculture and Commerce Ministers behaving like Santa Claus. The Heath Minister is in touring mode of health facilities while hospitals lack basic drugs. We are now told penicillin is out of stock. We wonder why such a basic medical drug is not available or is being rationed? There is still grass growing on the walls of CWM Hospital”.
“And the conga line leader, the AG and Economy Minister is for all intents and purposes on a campaign trail, attending meetings that we are told are being organised by Advisory Councillors after being ordered to do since they are government appointees”.
“The Minister’s whirlwind tour from Ba to Sigatoka over last weekend proves why these consultations are not people-driven”.
“Instead of speaking for a few minutes and allowing those with concerns to raise the issues, the AG’s long-winded talks are an attempt to camouflage what was the mood of the people”.
“Under the pretext of so-called consultation, the Minister is talking about anything and everything and ludicrously labels those ordinary Fijians asking the right and tough questions as being my friends”.
“These are signs of a government clutching at straws”.
“Whatever the conga line do, it is beyond any doubt that the term of the Fiji First government will end soon.