BECAUSE of the Government majority membership, an independent Parliamentary counsel should have been requested to guide the Privileges Committee on the report that was tabled in Parliament on a matter of privilege against Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Opposition MP Pio Tikoduadua.
According to the verbatim report of September 3, this was proposed by Opposition MP Professor Biman Prasad while giving evidence before the committee.
The recommendation from the Committee tabled in Parliament on September 6, stated that the two MPs to apologise in Parliament or face six months suspension. Government MP Inia Seruiratu said the responsibility of the Committee was to ascertain facts.
In response, Prof Prasad said the issue was that the majority of the committee members were Government MPs.
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