Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama [left] and Niko Nawaikula [Source: Fijian Parliament]

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has today made it clear that no Opposition Member, particularly Niko Nawaikula has the right to dictate the change in leadership at the Economy Ministry.

Bainimarama, says Nawaikula has a habit of talking about things that he can’t even understand.

He assures that the FijiFirst Government will always support the Economy Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

“He said we need a new Minister for Economy, who is Honorable Nawaikula to tell me who my Minister for Economy should be – who is he? If our economy has been run anything like SODELPA runs its own party we wouldn’t have one anymore.”

Bainimarama says the government for the last nine years have been exhausting every avenues to ensure there is a drop in unemployment, inequality and strengthening social protection.

He says Nawaikula also did not have any faith in the renowned institutions.

“Honorable Nawaikula said earlier this week, we don’t listen to the experts, everyone heard about it. Meanwhile, I have seen in his own Facebook he called the United Nations and World Bank useless.”

Nawaikula was clearly agitated with Bainimarama’s claims and asked the Prime Minister to re-look at his statements.

“Honorable Speaker I have to direct the Honorable Prime Minister to reject that, because it is demeaning, it is unparliamentarily, it is not based on any fact, not based on any substance and can he just please answer the question and don’t drag me into it – I’m here, I’m not part of a question.”

The Prime Minister then went on to say that multilateral organizations that Nawaikula have branded useless, continue to render financial support to Fiji.

He says that these organizations have confidence with the Fijian Government and the way it manages the economy and trust our own financial system.