Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka [Source: Fiji Government/Facebook]

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka reaffirms that the coalition remains intact despite the differences with the National Federation Party.

Rabuka says that he is waiting for an official report from the party informing him about the reasons for NFP members voting against the Emolument Committee’s recommendations.

He adds that the final decision was not communicated to him by the NFP.

“In which case they are not liable individually. It is the party that I’ll have to talk with. No, the coalition remains intact because that was a party decision on their part, but it was not communicated to me from party to party.”

However, Rabuka highlights that Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad can be penalized for not following his directive as Prime Minister.

He adds that a similar step was taken by Fiji’s first female Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Meraia Taufa Vakatale, during the SVT government.

In 1995, Vakatale was dismissed from her cabinet post as she took a costly stand against her party and the then Sitiveni Rabuka government over renewed French nuclear testing on Mururoa Atoll in French Polynesia.

Joining a protest march against French testing led to her losing her cabinet position in the Rabuka-led government, in which she served as a member of the Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei (SVT) party.

Last week while Parliament passed the motion to increase the salaries of Members of Parliament, Professor Prasad, stated that his party does not support the recommended salary increases outlined in the report.

Meanwhile, NFP Leader Professor Prasad has opted not to comment on the matter stating that NFP’s position on the matter in parliament does not in any way affect the party support to the Prime Minister and the coalition.