People’s Alliance Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka and Tourism Minister Faiyaz Koya.

People’s Alliance Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka has labelled Tourism Minister Faiyaz Koya’s outburst as “childish and lacking substance”.

Koya yesterday hit out at Rabuka’s earlier claims that the tourism industry is in doldrums and that Denarau Island is a shadow of what it used to be.

Koya rejected the PA Leader’s criticism saying he has no right to speak on tourism until he owns up to his short-sighted demands to keep Fiji closed.

Rabuka has responded this afternoon saying Fiji is a country of free speech and must remain so even if the government is upset with what people say.

He adds that unless Koya’s understanding of the bill of rights has changed regarding free speech, every citizen has the right, and a duty to hold the government to account.

The People’s Alliance leader says they encourage economic growth, especially in the tourism sector, recognizing the value and potential of Fijian hospitality industry to encourage Foreign Direct Investment.

Rabuka is also urging Koya to accept people’s views even if he doesn’t agree with them, adding that there is more learnt by listening than by childish outbursts.

Koya says Rabuka has the freedom to make silly and condescending statements — but he shouldn’t act surprised when government uses facts to call him out.