SUVA – Fiji’s Opposition has rejected a system of funding introduced by the Secretary General to the Parliament of Fiji for the support offices of the three parliamentary parties, saying the move is designed to favour the Fiji First Government Party.

The funding system allocates $15,000 per MP per annum and has also resulted in the termination of all parties’ parliamentary offices’ support staff.

The parties say the measure is illegal and they have questioned the Secretary-General’s independence, alleging the cut is a bid by the finance minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, to kill off the opposition.

Opposition leader Ro Teimumu Kepa claims the funding system was imposed on them “without consultation and with less than 48 hours notice before implementation”.

In line with the allocation which came into effect from January 1, Fiji First with 32 members collects a $480,000-budget a year, Sodelpa with 15 members collects $225,000 and National Federation Party (NFP) with three MPs has to work with a $45,000 per annum allocation.

In a letter dated January 8 and addressed to the secretary generals’ of the three parties, Secretary General to the Parliament of Fiji, Viniana Namosimalua, advised parties on the new funding allocation sysrtem and her decision to revoke the appointments of all political parties’ support staff in their respective parliamentary offices.

“Political parties in parliament will no longer be provided with established civil service positions for their parliamentary offices,” she said.

She further advised that it would be the responsibility of political parties to engage their own staff for their political party offices with the rationale “that the running of parliamentary offices of political parties is separate from the responsibilities and functions of the elected Government”.

“Therefore, resources provided to parliamentary offices of political parties are separate to the executive and the day-to-day running of government.”

Namosimalua further said the parliament would continue to provide the offices’ with support in respect of utility costs, morning teas and meals, stationary, cleaning and supply of appropriate equipment.”

The Secretary General’s decision has left 12 people out of jobs – two from Fiji First, six from SODELPA and four from NFP – after their employment was terminated last Friday.

“This is unacceptable,” Ro Teimumu said. “The entire episode is not parliamentary democracy. It is parliamentary dictatorship.

“There is no rational explanation of the Secretary General’s decision to make such a dramatic change in parliamentary procedures established to ensure proper checks and balances, accountability and transparency.”

In a letter, dated January 9, by Ro Teimumu to Namosimalua, the leader of the opposition said, “it’s not difficult to see that the Fiji First will be the major benefactors with $480,000 per annum being paid into their bank account to fund their parliamentary office that only has two staff.

“Only 12 backbenchers utilise it as the other 20 ministers are ministers and assistant minister and their costs are covered by government.”

Under the new arrangement, each MP has a weekly budget of between $283 and $288 to work with.

And over a four-year term under the same arrangement, Fiji First collects a budget of close to $1.9 million, Sodelpa $900,000 and NFP $180,000.

The government has since accused the opposition of misleading the Fijian people with its reaction to cuts to its parliamentary allocations.

The government says the Secretary-General’s letter shows she made the decision in her own right, which it says makes the opposition claims misleading and superfluous.

It says no doubt she held discussions with Sayed-Khaiyum, which the government says is nothing unconstitutional or improper.

It concludes that opposition claims are wholly without merit.