Dr Biman Prasad –
The recent Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama proves beyond doubt that only a handful of Ministers control more than 80% of the National Budget and are vested with the responsibility of making critically important decisions on national policies, precious natural resources and governance of our country.
This reshuffle has basically created a ‘Cabinet within a Cabinet.’
Apart from the Prime Minister, Fiji now has three Ministers who hold multiple portfolios and can be likened to ‘Super Ministers.’
Conflict of interest
The reshuffle has disregarded issues of transparency, conflict of interest and decision-making based on impartiality.
We now have a Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, as well as Lands and Mineral Resources. This means one person will make decisions when it comes to tourism development and land use as well as development of mineral based industries.
This is similar to the general secretary of Fiji First (Attorney General) also being Minister for Elections. Fiji always had a distinctly separate Ministry and Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources.
How the new Minister expects to handle two important portfolios is only known to him and the Prime Minister?
We may have different political views but outgoing Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources was at least seen to have been doing her job responsibly and articulated issues well in Parliament.
Suitability questioned
The latest bungling by Honourable Faiyaz Koya when he categorically denied that Fiji had withdrawn from Pacer Plus negotiations despite conclusive evidence in the media that he had made an announcement to this effect, confirms our doubts on his suitability to handle both portfolios.
The National Federation Party is concerned that the Prime Minister has also assumed the role of Foreign Affairs Minister while still being in charge of two very important ministries of i-Taukei Affairs and Sugar.
Even before the reshuffle, Mr Bainimarama could not extricate from his Prime Ministerial and hectic travel schedule to give close attention to these two portfolios.
Undoubtedly, both ministries will receive negligible attention with increased travel required by the Prime Minister as Foreign Minister.
Clarification needed
Mr Bainimarama should also clarify what he meant when he said Foreign Affairs and Trade needed to work together. Does he mean this wasn’t happening before when Ratu Inoke Kubuabola was Foreign Affairs Minister?
And why two Ministers have single portfolios of Fisheries and Forests respectively? Why could not have the Prime Minister appointed any one of them as Sugar, i-Taukei or Foreign Affairs Minister?
This does not make sense when other ministers have two or more portfolios, while a few have multiple portfolios.
Reshuffle of Cabinet is the prerogative of the Prime Minister.
But any reshuffle must be based on the ability, competency and suitability of a Minister to hold certain portfolios.
We reiterate that the reshuffle does not consider these prerequisites and seemingly smacks of a ‘Cabinet within a Cabinet.’
Dr Biman Prasad is Leader of the National Federation Party of Fiji and a Member of Parliament. He issued the above statement on September 19, 2016.
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