[Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/Facebook]

There is no provision in the FijiFirst Party Constitution that allows the Foundation members to issue party directives to the Parliamentary Caucus.

This has been highlighted by Opposition Member of Parliament and FijiFirst Member Mosese Bulitavu.

Bulitavu, in a statement, says that they were told verbally and through a Viber message from Acting General Secretary Faiyaz Koya that the instructions came from the former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama as Party Leader.

However, according to Bulitavu, Bainimarama, with his current conviction, cannot participate in a political party, nor can he be a political party officeholder or party leader.

Bulitavu has also questioned Faiyaz Koya’s appointment as acting general secretary.

He claims that his appointment was not done in accordance with the Party Constitution through the Leadership Committee, which is supposed to be headed by the Parliamentary Leader or Leader of the Opposition.

According to Bulitavu directives by the Party to the Parliamentary Caucus, there should be a resolution by the Leader Committee that should have been chaired by the Parliamentary Leader/Leader of the Opposition.

He says that before the former Prime Minister’s conviction, he had given the Leader of the Opposition approval that the issue of the Emoluments Committee should be decided by the Parliamentary Caucus.

Bulitavu says that, on that understanding, the Parliamentary Caucus appointed a subcommittee to prepare the party’s submissions to the Emoluments Committee.

He adds that there is no provision in the FijiFirst Party Constitution that says that party directives for the Parliamentary Caucus should come from the Party Leader.

FBC News has not been able to obtain a response from Faiyaz Koya and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, despite several attempts through telephone and email.