Some members of the Fijian Teachers Association (FTA) have called on Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad to step down over continued pay issues, however, Prof Prasad is standing by the pay rise announced for civil servants in this year’s budget.
Yesterday, retired politician Ratu Peceli Rinakama said a new Minister for Finance should be appointed because Prof Prasad was unable to address longstanding issues teachers’ had raised on numerous occasions.
Ratu Peceli raised his concerns at the association’s annual general meeting in Suva.
“All submissions made today (yesterday) need to be implemented , it is no use if we take our submissions and go back home with them,” he said.
While he acknowledged that the Government was democratically elected, he said members needed to fight for themselves.
“The FTA is praying that the Minister for Finance be changed because we live in a political world.”
Prof Prasad said Ratu Peceli was thoroughly misinformed.
“He is a retired politician,” he said.
“Why would you even bother responding to someone like that, because obviously he doesn’t understand that the decision about salaries and job evaluation, etcetera, falls under the ambit of the Public Service Commission.
“We’ve had a very cordial relationship discussion with the Fijian Teachers Association, and I think the Government’s decision during the budget in restoring and providing a salary increase of between 7 to 10 per cent for all the civil servants has generally been welcomed.”
He said the ministry had also foreshadowed a review which may include, job evaluation as well.
“This is because a lot of the issues that have been there can be resolved by a salary increase, so I don’t know where Ratu Peceli is coming from, obviously he is thoroughly misinformed.”
Prof Prasad said Ratu Peceli was obviously ignorant of the budgetary measures announced by the Government to increase civil servants’ salaries.
“His personal attack on me will not deter the Government in addressing the long-standing issues faced by teachers. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Civil Service are directly responsible for some of the reforms etcetera that would be needed to resolve some of the pending issues.”