Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says he will speak with Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad about being realistic about government spending.

The Prime Minister stated this while clarifying how the government will spend for the National Economic Summit.

Earlier on, the Finance Minister had said that $360,000 has been set aside for the summit, but that does not mean all will be spent on the event.

The Opposition had raised concerns as claims of thousands of dollars to be spent on cocktails, venue hiring, and even kalavata for attendees.

According to the Prime Minister, there is no budget approved for the summit yet.

“We have not approved any budget, so people are contemplating whether they are good with the budget. I do not know who is talking about Kalavata, because Kalavata was never a policy of this government. I will talk to the Minister of Finance and tell him to be realistic about government spending.”

The Prime Minister says that at this stage attendees can even be told to accommodate their own meal.

Rabuka is acting Finance Minister as Prasad is away overseas.

The National Economic Summit will be held later this month at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva with around 500 attendees.