PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs Pio Tikoduadua and Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Alitia Bainvalu each took nine overseas travels between April 1, 2024, and April 1, 2025.
Mr Rabuka’s nine trips cost the Government $210,000, Minister Tikoduadua spent $135,000 while Minister Bainivalu incurred $77,000 expenses from state coffers.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Cooperatives, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Communications, Manoa Kamikamica took eight trips overseas between April 1, 2024, to April 1, 2025 that cost taxpayers $128,000. Minister for Health Dr Atonio Lalabalavu spent $128,000 on his eight trips while Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Sakiasi Ditoka used $24,000 in his eight travels.
Assistant Minister for Finance Esrom Yosef Immanuel took seven trips in this period at a cost of $78,000. Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Lenora Qereqeretabua incurred expenses of $54,000 on her seven travels between April 1, 2024, to April 2025.
Meanwhile, Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Waterways Tomasi Tunabuna took six trips in this period that costs taxpayers $89,000.
Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro spent $23,000 on his six trips while Minister for Sugar Charan Jeath Singh incurred expenses of $138,000 on his six travels. Minister for Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations, Agni Deo Singh spent $108,00 on his six official travels.
Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau incurred a total of $30,000 on his six overseas travels and $79,000 was used by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil AviationViliame Gavoka.
Former attorney-general Graham Leung spent $109,000 on five overseas trips between April 1, 2024 and April 2025, which included $3055 to engage in consultations with senior barristers in Sydney.
A total of $47,000 was incurred as expenses by Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran on her official trips, Minister for Youth and Sports Jese Saukuru used $96,000 on his four trips, Maciu Nalumisa, Minister for Housing and Local Government, used $33,000 while Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad used $104,000 during this period of travel.
l Meanwhile, Finance Minister Prof Prasad said the FijiFirst government spent $24 million on overseas travel between 2014 and 2022 – an average of $3million per year.
Prof Prasad added the previous administration also spent $50.4million on domestic travel between 2014 and 2022.
