SUSPENDED Opposition MP Pio Tikoduadua told the Parliamentary Privileges Committee that he was appearing before them under “duress”.
Mr Tikoduadua was first summoned before the committee on September 3 for a matter of privilege against him. Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama had claimed in Parliament on August 9 that he was personally attacked by Mr Tikoduadua.
He then also alleged that he was assaulted by the PM outside Parliament on the same day.
Both matters were then referred to the committee by the Speaker, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau for further scrutiny.
According to the verbatim record of the proceedings, in his evidence before the committee, Mr Tikoduadua said they had written to the Speaker expressing their concerns about the unilateral invocation of Standing Order 134 which was in their “humble view a privilege afforded only to Members who have to follow the specific processes within Standing Order 134”.
“Secondly, I wish to state that the august House is the constitutional space for the debate of ideas and thus words,” he told the committee.
“My words were cleared by the Speaker and I urge the committee to remember that it is the actions of the Honourable Prime Minister that are on trial here, not my words of intentions or supposed intentions, that third parties like Qorvis and other contractors are trying to twist in public.
“It is not working.
“The people out there want to see justice done and be seen to be done.”
Mr Tikoduadua was subsequently suspended for six months from Parliament after he opted not to comply with the recommendation of the committee to apologise to Parliament.
After making his opening statement, Agriculture Minister and committee member Dr Mahendra Reddy questioned whether it was proper in any proceedings of “this nature” that the witness came and gave a statement.
“I thought the witness will be responding to questions we will pose.
“I don’t think in any trial, the witness comes and presents a report. No!” Dr Reddy said.
