Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu [ Source : Parliament of the Republic of Fiji / Facebook]

The work of the opposition members of Parliament has not been affected despite the possibility of FijiFirst MPs losing their seats in Parliament.

This has been highlighted by Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu following the statement by FijiFirst President Ratu Joji Satakala on disciplining the sixteen MPs who voted in favor of increasing salaries and allowances for MPs.

Seruiratu, in a statement, says that this is an internal party process and, for now, does not affect the work of opposition MPs.

He adds that opposition MPs are currently working in the six Parliamentary Standing Committees that they are members of to scrutinize the reports assigned to them by Parliament.

According to section 63(h) of the Constitution, the seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant if the member votes or abstains from voting in Parliament contrary to any direction issued by the political party for which he or she was a candidate at the time he or she was elected to Parliament, without obtaining the prior permission of the political party.

Therefore FijiFirst President Ratu Joji Satakala explains that the Party’s Acting General Secretary, Faiyaz Koya had specifically directed the MPs on Friday morning to vote against or abstain from voting on the salary and benefit increase for the President, Prime Minister,

Ministers, Assistant Ministers, Deputy Speaker, Whips, Speaker, Leader of the Opposition and Members of Parliament.

The MPs who went against this directive were Mosese Bulitavu, Sanjay Kirpal, Semi Koroilavesau, Shalen Kumar, Virendra Lal, IoaneNaivalurua, Sachida Nand, Vijay Nath, Viliame Naupoto, Ratu Josaia Niudamu, Penioni Ravunawa, Taito Rokomatu, Inia Seruiratu, Alipate Tuicolo, Naisa Tuinaceva and Jone Usamate.

The Central Executive Committee of the party will be taking steps to address the issue.

Only three FijiFirst MPs were among the seven who voted against the salary increase.

They were Faiyaz Koya, Hem Chand, and Premila Kumar.

Four MPs had abstained from voting: Joseph Nand, Viam Pillay, Rinesh Sharma and Ketan Lal.

Under the Fiji constitution, the seat of a member of Parliament becomes vacant if the member— votes or abstains from voting in Parliament contrary to any direction issued by the political party for which he or she was a candidate at the time he or she was elected to Parliament, without obtaining the prior permission of the political party.

The seat also becomes vacant if an MP is expelled from the political party for which he or she was a candidate at the time he or she was elected to Parliament and the expulsion was in accordance with the rules of the political party relating to party discipline and the expulsion did not relate to any action taken by the member in his or her capacity as a member of a committee of Parliament.