The just announced Cabinet reshuffle further concentrates power in the hands of Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and “his deputy” Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, says the Fiji Labour Party.
“There is little value that the Prime Minister can add to his newly acquired Forestry ministry given his dismal performance as the Sugar Minister for the last 13 years,” said Labour leader and former PM Mahendra Chaudhry.
“Premila Kumar who replaces Rosy Akbar as Education Minister is unlikely to win the confidence of the teaching fraternity or the teacher unions given her strident approach to sensitive situations as displayed in the Local Government Ministry.”
Mr Chaudhry speculated that the choice of Mr Sayed-Khaiyum, the Economy Minister, to head the Housing and Community Development Ministry may be “connected with large housing contracts which the Housing Authority is expected to announce in the near future”.
Mr Chaudhry said the PM and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum each held several portfolios to the exclusion of other Government members, except Commerce, Trade and Tourism Minister Faiyaz Koya “who is also seen as a favoured multiportfolio holder”.
“Such concentration of power in a very small coterie of people is unhealthy for democracy and must be questioned.”
Questions sent to Mr Bainimarama and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum on Mr Chaudhry’s comments remained unanswered yesterday
