A heated exchange in Parliament over funding for the Tuatua Crematorium in Labasa has prompted the Speaker to reserve his ruling after allegations of religious vilification were raised against Minister for Public Enterprises Charan Jeath Singh.
The confrontation began after Opposition MP Alvick Maharaj sought additional funding for the redesign of the crematorium.
In response, Minister Singh accused the Opposition of attempting to divide communities along religious lines.
“We are trying to split the hair in this country… Please don’t do this politics. Please don’t bring politics into religion,” said Singh.
The Minister said the Coalition Government had invested in crematoriums for the benefit of all communities.
“Tuatua Cemetery is not a Hindu cemetery; it is a public cemetery.”
He also criticised previous governments, saying they had failed to deliver similar projects.
“Whatever the Honourable Prime Minister has promoted… we have been brought in all these crematoriums. Never in the 16 years of your government, you have brought anything.”
Opposition MP Jone Usamate immediately raised a point of order, arguing that the Minister’s comments were inappropriate and amounted to religious and racial vilification.
“The kind of language being used by the member, accusing people of all sorts of things, inviting racial vilification, religious vilification, should not be allowed,” he said.
Usamate said Maharaj had simply asked a question about funding and had made no reference to religion.
“The Honourable Member here did not mention anything about religion… He chose to answer that question in that particular way. That is totally unacceptable.”
He urged the Speaker to refer the matter to the Privileges Committee.
Speaker Filimone Jitoko reminded Members about maintaining order in the House and said the conduct of both sides was a concern.
“The decorum of this House is first and foremost… there has not been shown from both sides in this matter.”
The Speaker said he would consider the point of order before delivering a ruling.
