Not malua malua in this Parliament - five minutes to debate a dozen decree amendments

from w
This is amazing and I can see why Tupou was concerned.  Just passing these amendments in a hurry shows no respect for the debating process of a democratic Parliament.

We’re just rubber stamps: Draunidalo December 11, 2014 06:06:56 

 Fiji's Member of the Opposition Tupou Draunidalo says the Fijian Government is treating them like rubber stamps, a faction not to be heard - only to make up the other side of the house. She was reacting to a decision made in the house that debates on 12 consequential bills to the 2015 Budget be limited to five minutes. 

Draunidalo said to commit only five minutes to each side to debate on all bills, bills that impact the country and Fijians, was not enough. “Well five minutes for all the bills is not very clear, I’m sure the understanding was that it was five minutes for each bill,” Draunidalo said. “If that’s how this government wishes to treat the opposition that we’re here for nothing, I don’t know why you complained when we walked out because really, that’s how they want to treat us as a rubber stamp for us not to be heard, just sit here and make up this side of the house,” Draunidalo said. She said if they had known that they were only given five minutes for all the bills to be debated, they would have mounted arguments against the idea. 

Opposition whip Ratu Isoa Tikoca said that there was a need to deliberate the bills in details. “You reckon that 15 bills to be discussed in five minutes, what a joke!” However, concerns made by the Opposition was stayed before the house and the bills were later passed. 

Bills passed before the house today: - A Bill for an Act to amend the Income Tax Act (Cap.201). (2/2014)
 - A Bill for an Act to amend the Fringe Benefit Tax Decree 2012. (3/2014)
 - A Bill for an Act to amend the Service Turnover Tax Decree 2012 (4/2014) 
- A Bill for an Act to amend the Stamp Duties Act (Cap.205). (5/2014) 
- A Bill for an Act to amend the Tax Administration Decree 2009. (6/2014)
 - A Bill for an Act to amend the Excise Act 1986 (7/2014) 
- A Bill for an Act to amend the Customs Act 1986 (8/2014) 
- A Bill for an Act to amend the Customs Tarrif Act 1986 (9.2014)
- A Bill for an Act to amend the Value Added Tax Decree 1991 . (10/2014)
 - A Bill for an Act to amend the Capital Gains Tax Decree 2011. (11/2014)
- A Bill for an Act to amend the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Decree 2014 (12/2014) 
- A Bill for an Act to amend the Land Sales Act (Cap. 137). (13/2014) 

By Vuniwaqa Bola-Bari

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