Opposition MP Jone Usamate has accused the Coalition Government of using time constraints as an excuse for failing to deliver electoral reforms, questioning what Fiji’s largest-ever Cabinet has achieved during its more than three years in office.
In a strongly worded statement, Usamate said taxpayers were funding what he described as the most bloated executive in the country’s history while receiving little in return.
“Look at the facts. Taxpayers are funding the largest, most bloated Cabinet in Fiji’s history. We have an unprecedented army of Ministers and Assistant Ministers taking home fat salaries. Yet their grand excuse for not delivering on electoral reform is that they simply ran out of time.”
Usamate argued that the election timeline was predictable and should not have caught Government by surprise.
“The election timeline is not a natural disaster. It is a predictable legal certainty.”
“This government has sat on its hands for over three years. If the biggest executive workforce this country has ever seen cannot manage a standard calendar, what on earth have they been doing? Where is the return on investment for the people?”
His comments come amid debate over preparations for the next general election and concerns raised by the Electoral Commission about the time required to implement electoral reforms before polling.
Usamate rejected any suggestion that the timeline itself was responsible for the situation, accusing the Government of creating its own problems.
“By panicking over a six-month budget and whining about old laws, Rabuka is softly building an alibi. This is a clumsy attempt to justify a manufactured delay of the general election.”
“You do not treat a fixed election cycle like a sudden national emergency unless you are hiding deep internal chaos.”
The former minister also defended the Electoral Commission, saying it should not be blamed for highlighting issues that Government had failed to address.
“The Electoral Commission didn’t cause this crisis. The Coalition’s own paralysis did.”
“You cannot blame the referee for blowing the whistle on time when you failed to prepare your own game plan.”
Usamate further criticised Government spending on the executive arm, arguing that resources had been devoted to maintaining ministerial positions rather than addressing key democratic reforms.
He concluded by questioning the performance of the Government despite its large ministerial team.
“Fiji is paying top dollar for a massive Cabinet and getting nothing but excuses about the clock.”
“If you cannot manage a basic calendar with the largest team in history, you have absolutely no right to manage the future of this country.”
The Government has previously defended the size of Cabinet and maintains that electoral reform remains under consideration as Fiji prepares for its next general election.
