24 Oct 2014

Fiji reports on ministers' salaries questioned

5:05 pm on 24 October 2014

The Fiji Labour Party leader says he doubts that a complete picture on ministers' salaries has emerged in the recently released Auditor General's reports.

The reports from 2007 to 2013 show cabinet ministers were paid about 900,000 US dollars collectively last year, with the Prime Minister being paid about 140,000 US dollars.

But Mahendra Chaudhry, who was the interim government's finance minister in 2007 and 2088, says he is investigating if the figures released are correct.

Mr Chaudhry says it has been reported the Prime Minister and the Attorney General were receiving more than 500,000 US dollars in salary each.

He says there was also concern about their salaries being paid through a private accounting firm, which had close connections with the Attorney General.

"These allegations of ours have not been denied or refuted. And despite repeated demands that they table the audited accounts of the salaries of the Prime Minister and the Attorney General from April 2010 to September 2013 have not been met."

Mahendra Chaudhry says he hopes the issue is raised in parliament.

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