[Source: Parliament of Fiji/ Facebook]

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says he asked why Members of Parliament were getting exorbitant travel allowances when not necessary.

The Prime Minister made the comment prior to the passing of a motion to reduce travel allowances for MPs yesterday.

Rabuka also revealed that he and his cabinet made some attempts to reduce the allowance earlier on, before it was brought to the floor of parliament.

He says he realizes that although the allowance was needed, the amount was too high and has to be brought down.

Rabuka came up with the conclusion in his first overseas trip as Prime Minister when he took office.

“This issue was raised in the cabinet when I came back from my first trip to Kiribati, and I realized that I did not use the allowance given to me. I said, What are these allowances for? Why do we get them if we are not going to need them? I ask the staff in the office; we’ve been working on it, and we have arrived at this.”

Parliament later passed the motion yesterday.

As per the amendments to Part B of the Parliamentary Remuneration Act of 2014, the reduction will apply to the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers, assistance ministers, the Leader of Opposition, as well as other members of parliament.

28 MPs voted for the motion, five did not vote, and 21 MPs abstained.