Govt pension for Rabuka stopped

The government pension for former Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka has been stopped from this Monday.

Rabuka who is on his way to his village in Vanua Levu confirms that the letter from the Prime Minister's Office was delivered to him yesterday.

Rabuka said his full government pension and benefits have been stopped from the 18th of this month.

He also told Fijivillage News that the four wheel-drive vehicle which was part of his pension was also taken away from him.

Under the Prime Minister's Pensions Act 1994, a Prime Minister who has completed 5 years of service receives upto 75 percent of his salary as his pension.

20 percent of salary is payable in respect for the first two years. Rabuka was the only former Prime Minister getting the full benefits of the government pension under the 1994 Act.

Laisenia Qarase was refused the pension although he had written a letter to Prime Minister Bainimarama in 2007.

Under the 1994 Prime Ministers Pensions Act, the former Prime Minister who has completed 5 years of service is also provided with other benefits.

These include the provision for the installation, connection, maintenance and rental of a telephone in any private residence. The government is also to meet all costs of local calls.  

They are also provided with a Ministerial type vehicle and a driver, including free travel on scheduled trips of government ships.

Their medical treatment, hospitalisation, drugs and all other hospital services locally are also covered under the pension.

There is also a provision of an annual budgetary allocation of an amount of 30 thousand dollars per annum and subject to periodic adjustments, to enable the person in receipt of the pension, to hire personal staff as required and the provision of security protection at the discretion of the Prime Minister.