The people of Fiji have begun to see financial abuses by the so called Interim Administration so early within its illegal term.

First, the people saw the recommendation for appointment by Qarase of the largest Cabinet in Fiji's history. The recommendation of 20 Cabinet rank ministers and 12 assistant ministers will cost the people of Fiji about $750,000, inclusive of benefits, more than what the cabinet cost under the Peoples Coalition.

Within a week we see the unelected Prime Minister purchasing a new landcruiser costing the taxpayers $131,000. Then Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka used the Malaysian donated limo PM001. Prime Minister Chaudhry also used this vehicle.

Now the unelected Qarase tells the nation that PM001 is not suitable for him. Nor are the other vehicles assigned to the PM's Office.

And more vehicles are to be purchased because the vehicles used by the People's Coalition ministers are not "available" for the Qarase team. In total, the People's Coalition Government is reliably informed, the taxpayers expect to foot another $500,000 for new vehicle purchases.

Within a week, then, we see the Qarase team deciding to squander over $1.3m.

And Qarase has the temerity to ask the civil servants to accept a 12.5% paycut because times are hard.

The People's Coalition Government warns the taxpayers that this trend in squandering public funds by the unelected regime will continue. We are just seeing a small example of what is to come in the days ahead.

During 2000, the People's Coalition Government had, after thoroughly taking stock of the government vehicle fleet, decided that there would be no more purchases of new vehicles. There were, and continue to be, numerous vehicles which are either misallocated, or underutilized. This state of affairs was inherited by the Coalition Government from the SVT reign. The People's Coalition Government had decided to rationalize the use of government vehicle fleet. Substantial savings resulted from this move to improve financial efficiency. The funds saved were re-directed to delivering the social package of the Coalition which benefited the ordinary citizen.

The Qarase team has, within a week, reversed this move.

And it is not only the financial indiscipline and abuse which should worry the taxpayers. The rapidly emerging rise in graft and nepotism should also be a major cause of concern.

Only today (Sunday) are the taxpayers and citizens informed that Qarase's salary and house rent is being paid for by a private company, and that this will continue to be so at least until the end of August. We are further told that Qarase is negotiating with the same company the use of the company house in Domain for the future.

This is a very serious matter. It means that the Prime Minister of the illegal regime is accepting gifts from a private bank. Without any doubt, this is the highest form of abuse of office and corruption.

Even the editorial of the Fiji Times of 29 July had warned:

This was very sound advice.

But instead of heeding the advice and setting rules for his team, Qarase himself flagrantly violates all ethics of holding a public office by not only accepting favours from a private bank, but also avoiding the 12.5% salary cut, for at least a month, which his other ministers and the civil servants are to suffer from 1 August.

If the leader of the team can engage in such gross violation of public office ethics, what can we expect from his subordinates?

If a democratically elected Prime Minister was found receiving favours from private companies, he/she would have been swiftly relieved of his duties and even prosecuted.

If the people of Fiji allow an unelected group of people to continue to make decisions in Fiji, then only they would be liable for blame for the financial abuse, the corruption and the general deterioration in their welfare.

People's Coalition Government - Fiji Islands
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Last update: August 27, 2001