Opposition Member of Parliament, Parveen Bala.

Opposition Member of Parliament Parveen Bala has now been given time until September to provide proof for claims made against Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad.

Parliament Speaker Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu says he received a letter from Bala requesting to provide his evidence by the next sitting.

The Speaker says Bala has indicated that he needs time to obtain evidence from farmers and other sources in the cane belt areas.

“Please take note that I have approved the Honorable Bala’s request and that he must present his evidence on Monday the 11th of September and I have also informed Honorable Bala that there would be no deferment and in the event he fails to present his evidence on the said day, the matter would be immediately referred to the privilege’s committee.”

Earlier this week on two occasions, Bala made claims that the budget does nothing for the sugarcane farmers, who in the cane belt are still asking what happened to the promise of $110 per tonne by the Minister for Finance.

Bala had further claims that Prasad and his candidates told the farmers during the campaign that they were going to give $110.

On the second occasion, Bala claimed that the new scholarship system that replaces the Tertiary Education Loans Scheme is a sell-out of the principle of equal access to higher education just to keep a badly thought-out election promise and that the Finance

Minister is simply keeping his job by keeping his promise.

Professor Prasad raised a point of order, claiming that Bala is using parliament to incite racial hatred and did not provide proof of evidence.

Meanwhile, Lalabalavu adds he has also received official communication from Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran on a matter of a prima facie breach of parliamentary privilege by an honourable member.

The Speaker says he will address this matter at a later date.

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