Travel and communication spending by the Fiji Parliament increased by 93 per cent during the 2023–2024 financial year, according to Parliament’s Annual Report tabled in Parliament yesterday.
The report shows expenditure under the Travel and Communication category rose from $1.26 million in 2022–2023 to $2.43 million in 2023–2024, an increase of $1.17 million.
Parliament says the higher expenditure reflects the constitutional and representative responsibilities of the Office of the Speaker and Members of Parliament.
According to the report, the Speaker receives numerous invitations to attend local and overseas conferences and meetings, including those organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).
It states that during official travel, the Speaker is accompanied by at least three to four Members of Parliament, which may include Assistant Ministers, the Secretary-General, the Manager of Protocol and Inter-Parliamentary Relations, and the Senior Media Officer.
The report notes that accompanying officials, with the exception of parliamentary staff, are entitled to top-up travel facilitation.
Parliament also attributed the increase to the work of its six Standing Committees, which undertook a higher number of site visits during the reporting period.
It says committee visits, including public consultations, are determined by committee chairs and may range from a single day to a week, covering all four divisions of Fiji.
Overall, Parliament’s total operating expenditure increased to $10.6 million during the 2023–2024 financial year, while total expenditure, including capital purchases and VAT, reached $15.72 million.
