
Opposition MP Jone Usamate
Opposition MP Jone Usamate claims Fiji most likely has the highest number of ministers per capita in the world.
In a statement, he said the coalition government promised efficiency and effectiveness, but the country was witnessing the exact opposite.
Usamate claimed the State was unable to deliver on its promises because the government has compromised the integrity of the Civil Service by appointing its cronies and failed candidates as Permanent Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries.
Usamate said Fiji has 35 ministers, with one serving every 26,753 citizens and each earning an average salary of $200,000.
He claimed this translated to a significant cost per capita, exceeding that of countries like Japan by a substantial margin, indicating potential inefficiencies in ministerial expenditure.
However, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka dismissed Usamate’s claims and said the ministers were needed.
“It is something we have to pay for. It is part of our journey and we have to find the money for it,” Rabuka said.
Usamate also questioned if the ballooned numbers were justified.
“The coalition government continues to argue that more ministers will help it govern effectively. Absolute hogwash. It reflects that this Government has too many Ministers who cannot deliver, and a Prime Minister who does not have the gumption to get rid of them,” the Opposition parliamentarian said.
In response, Rabuka said action would be taken when necessary.
“I have not removed them, (it) doesn’t mean they will not be removed.”
Usamate went on to support his argument by providing comparative salaries and population ratios as follows:
– Japan: 20 ministers, FJD $204,864 salary, 1 minister per 6.225 million people, FJD $0.03 cost per capita.
– Australia: 41 ministers, FJD $527,142 salary, 1 minister per 649,746 people, FJD $0.81 cost per capita.
– New Zealand: 28 ministers, FJD $367,558 salary, 1 minister per 186,536 people, FJD $1.97 cost per capita.
– Fiji: 35 ministers, FJD $200,000 salary, 1 minister per 26,753 people, FJD $7.48 cost per capita.
Usamate called on the coalition government to start putting the needs and interests of the Fijian people above political appointments.
He said if the Prime Minister felt that Cabinet Ministers were not delivering, “then he should get rid of them.”
Usamate claimed Fiji was the joke of the Pacific in terms of the ratio of Cabinet Ministers to population and the subsequent cost to the country.