Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka states that no salary changes have come into effect yet, following the recent parliamentary motion regarding increases for members of Parliament.

Rabuka says the motion they passed last week was merely the acceptance of the report from the emoluments committee.

He explains that any actual increase in salaries will require the introduction of a bill and the enactment of legislation by Parliament, as mandated by Section 80 of the Constitution.

“The emoluments committee did their job. They brought it back to the Cabinet. Cabinet decided, no, it must be decided on by Parliament. So, it went back to Parliament. And that’s what we saw. Before it is executed, or before it becomes an act, it must be brought down as a bill. A bill to amend the 2014 Parliamentary Emoluments Act.”

This clarification comes amidst public concern and confusion over the potential salary hikes for various parliamentary roles.

Rabuka assures that the increase is not immediate and would be subjected to further legislative processes.

The Prime Minister also notes that most votes in favor of the salary adjustments came from the People’s Alliance Party.

In response to concerns about the timing and necessity of the salary changes, Rabuka says that while the issue could be revisited later, it is currently not in effect.

“It can be done later. This thing has not been effective. It’s not been effective. We have the budget coming up. The wage minimum wage is still current. And the Minister, one of the Ministers who voted against or abstained, is the Minister responsible for it, for the minimum wages. Maybe because he hasn’t been able to finalise the issues from the workers.”

The motion for salary increases has sparked significant public debate, with many questioning the appropriateness of such changes amid broader economic challenges.