‘People may think I am siding with the Government but I am merely following the Parliamentary Standing Orders.’
Speaker of Parliament Dr. Jiko Luveni made this comment following allegations made by Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry at the FLP Conference in Lautoka that Parliament has been reduced to a sham.
Chaudhry said Section 77 of the Constitution requires that the Speaker not be a member of Parliament.
Dr. Jiko Luveni says she is doing the best she can in being fair and impartial during parliament sittings.
Dr. Luveni adds the Government and the Opposition has had some healthy debates in the past sittings.
Chaudhry also said that no one with close connections to a political party or who contested the elections should be considered for the position.
Dr. Luveni stresses that she has resigned from the Fiji First Party so she is free to exercise the Speaker’s authority.
She says Speakers in Australia and other parliaments have retained their party membership and they continue to serve their constituency although they are Speakers. However, this is not the case for Fiji.
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