National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad

A day after denying that he had said civil servants should also take a pay cut, National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad changed his tune in parliament yesterday.

Up until yesterday, Professor Prasad was adamant that he had never mentioned anything about civil servant’s pay cut.

In his letter to the Fiji times a week ago, Professor Prasad had suggested a pay cut for the Prime Minister, his cabinet ministers, permanent secretaries and all those in the civil service.

“I was very clear where I suggested that all the cabinet ministers, members of parliament, permanent secretaries, right up to the director level should take a pay cut and I said anybody below that should not get So Mr. Speaker, let me remind the Honorable Attorney General not to mislead the people of the county about what I said.”

Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum pointed out that Professor Prasad had mentioned about civil servants.

“Honorable Biman Prasad he said I said director level, I have got the Fiji Times article here on the front column, the first column, you said all civil servants.”

Less than 24 hours later, Prasad, today said there was an error in his article in the Fiji Times.

“The Attorney General accused me of suggesting a pay cut for the civil service based on a small mistake in the article that I wrote for the Fiji Times. But Mr. Speaker if they listen to what I said in response to the Fiji Sun, it is very clear what I said, I said do not touch the salaries of the civil servants.”

Prasad also says he does not support the majority of the suggestions in the supplementary budget.