Parliament

Privileges Committee's report to be tabled today

September 5, 2019 7:57 am

The Privileges Committee will this morning table their report to Parliament.

The matter before the committee is the breach of privilege by both the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Opposition MP Pio Tikoduadua.

On Monday, Speaker of the House Ratu Epeli Nailatikau informed parliament that after he considered all the relevant materials, under Standing Order 134, subsection 2, (a) there had been a prima facie breach of privilege by Bainimarama and Tikoduadua on the 9th of August.

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The matter relates to the alleged personal attack by Tikoduadua against the Prime Minister and also the altercations between Bainimarama and Tikoduadua.

Parliament is expected this morning to consider the report from the Privileges Committee including the recommendations and to pass such resolutions as the House deems just and appropriate in the circumstances.

The committee has over this week deliberated on the matter at hand as well as summoned relevant witnesses for interviews.

Meanwhile, FBC News approached the Committee Chair Veena Bhatnagar last night who clarified that the committee was still deliberating over the matter and that no statements would be made.

FBC News also spoke to Pio Tikoduadua who was summoned before the committee for a second time.

He stated that he was bound by standing orders and would not comment on the issue still before the committee.

Stay with us for more on this developing story.