Opposition Member of Parliament, Premila Kumar says the National Federation Party’s opposition to Fiji’s vote against the ‘Jordanian Resolution’ at the United Nations for a humanitarian truce is mind-boggling and very puzzling.
Speaking to FijiLive, the former Education Minister said three NFP members are part of Cabinet where decisions are made on such important matters and questioned how can Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lenora Qereqeretabua who is responsible for international diplomacy, oppose the decision which is made by her own Ministry.
She said this raises concerns about how important policy decisions are made and why is the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs opposing the resolution to which she is a party to.
“Perhaps the National Federation Party is now realizing that the People’s Alliance Party is taking the lead in making decisions and that they are marginalized.”
“No matter what the Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad says now, the fact remains in such important matters of voting for the country in the UN, there should have been better coordination and consultation before the voting and not dissent afterwards when criticisms are levelled against the Government,” she said.
Kumar claims the NFP was left in the dark on the decision that the three-legged Government made on the resolution.
She said the Government is making Fiji look foolish and incompetent domestically and internationally.
“The Government must be now be held accountable for also putting the lives of Fijian peacekeepers in danger by voting against the resolution last week.”
Kumar, who has labelled the Government as the ‘flip-flop’ Coalition Government, claiming that Fijians are losing confidence in the Government’s ability to provide effective leadership.
She has also questioned the competence of the recently appointed Permanent Representative to the United Nations Filipo Tarakinikini and that of the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Dr Lesikimacuata Korovulavula.
“This is what you get when appointments are not made on merits,” Kumar added.
FijiLive has reached out to the National Federation Party for a comment on the matter.
