SODELPA Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka has stated that it is irresponsible for Opposition Leader, Ro Teimumu Kepa to say in the party’s AGM that “how SODELPA can run the next government if they cannot even pay their workers well”.
As earlier reported by Fijivillage, Ro Teimumu raised this concern in the meeting as she said that the SODELPA office workers were crying for overtime pay due to them totaling $3,179.00.
Ro Teimumu added that SODELPA has around $100,000 in its savings from the money that was given to them from the Parliament Grant in the years 2016 to 2018.
She said that the workers are an important component of how SODELPA is operating and should get their overtime pay.
Party General Secretary, Adi Litia Qionibaravi said in the AGM that the staff in the office had signed a contract which also stated that they will take time off for overtime.
Sitiveni Rabuka now says that the comments by Ro Teimumu is a hurdle for the party and it would definitely hurt SODELPA.
He also says that Ro Teimumu was involved in the drawing up of the contracts.
Meanwhile Ro Teimumu Kepa has said in a statement yesterday that she will not discuss comments by Sitiveni Rabuka.
Ro Teimumu says what she said at the AGM was for the members of the SODELPA family and she would leave the matter there.
She says that she did not speak to the media on the subject and she maintains that position as well in this instance.