Rabuka's Trip May Have Cost Us Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s recent trip to Washington, D.C., and Munich in Germany could have cost Fijian taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, with virtually zero tangible benefits to Fiji.

After factoring in the Prime Minister’s daily allowance of $3,000 per day, first-class air travel, and accommodation at high-end resorts, the cost of the trip for the PM alone is estimated to have exceeded $100,000 FJD.

This figure does not include the costs associated with the PM’s entourage and staff, which are projected to raise the total expenditure to a staggering amount.

Rabuka initially travelled to Washington, D.C., with hopes of meeting the newly elected U.S. President, Donald Trump. However, despite his public statements, the two leaders did not meet.

To make matters worse, President Trump has continued his stance on major issues impacting Fiji.

He remains adamant about his decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change, a move that has significant implications for Pacific Island nations like Fiji, which rely on international cooperation to combat rising sea levels and other environmental challenges.

Trump’s administration has also made it clear that it does not plan to reinstate USAID, which has provided vital aid to the Pacific Islands over the years.

Following his time in Washington, Rabuka travelled to Munich to attend the annual Munich Security Conference, where he addressed global security concerns.

However, some have questioned on social media the relevance of such a conference to the security needs of Fiji and the broader Pacific region.

While the conference focuses on European and global security challenges, it offers limited practical benefits for Pacific Island nations, whose primary security concerns revolve around regional issues, such as climate change, natural disasters, and maritime security.

Given the seemingly astronomical costs of the trip, many taxpayers have taken to social media asking whether it would have been more prudent for the prime minister to focus on issues directly impacting the nation, rather than engaging in high-profile but largely irrelevant international forums.

We have sent questions to the Permanent Secretary of Finance to enquire about the exact figures of PM Rabuka's trip.