This a statement by Savenaca Narube, Leader of Unity Fiji and former Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji on the parliament session last week.
“Like many of us, I have watched with great trepidation the proceedings of Parliament in the last five years including last week’s session. Parliament is made up of elected representatives of the people to make national decisions in the interest of the people. But it is very clear that the government members of Parliament have never been for the people:
- The Standing Orders are abused to allow Bills and the Budget to be rammed through without adequate debate.
- No consultations are done with the people on the Bills.
- Questions of national interests are flippantly ignored and dismissed by the Speaker.
- Assistant Ministers chair the Committees of Parliament.
- The Government chairs the important Public Accounts Committee.
Of course, the Government has the numbers. But they must exercise their majority within the national interests.
There is no inclusivity. Bipartisan is swiped aside as a weakness. Political agendas take precedent over national interests. I see a great disconnect between Parliament and the realities of what is happening around us.
So, in whose interest is our Parliament for? The answer is simple. It is dancing to the tune of the dictators on the government side who show disregard to the wishes of the nation.
I join the other opposition parties in strongly condemning the undemocratic and dictatorial parliamentary processes that have killed the interest of the country and the people.
Sadly, the oppressive procedures of Parliament is another nail in the coffin of democracy, fairness, and human rights. It adds to the growing list of mismanagement and oppression by this Government.
We must reform Parliament. I respectfully call on the following:
- The regional and international communities to make parliamentary reforms a condition of their assistance to Fiji.
- Opposition parties in Parliament to prepare a full submission outlining specific examples of the abuse of democracy and send this report to every government in the region and to the wider international communities.
We must fight this great injustice.”