Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says SODELPA parliamentarian Ro Teimumu Kepa is misleading people by saying that he had directed the people conducting the traditional welcome ceremony for the royal couple to omit the three confederacies.

He says this is evil.

In an interview with Fijivillage, Bainimarama says Ro Teimumu made this comment to win votes in the recent general elections and he says the misleading comments have continued when Ro Teimumu spoke in parliament earlier this week.

Ro Teimumu said in parliament that the omission of the three confederacies came from the top. 

However Prime Minister Bainimarama says Ro Teimumu said something else when the royal couple departed Nadi.

He says Ro Teimumu had actually thanked him and Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ioane Naivalurua.

Bainimarama says he remembers the 14 provinces were mentioned during the traditional welcome ceremony.


Traditional welcome ceremony for Duke and Duchess of Sussex [Photo: Fijian Government]

He says even the people of Vuda were not spared as this was an attempt to get votes for the elections.

Bainimarama then said that Ro Teimumu is disappointed because she cannot become the President, which he says was part of SODELPA’s plan if they would have won the general elections.


Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ioane Naivalurua [Photo: Fijian Government]

Meanwhile Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ioane Naivalurua confirms that Ro Teimumu had thanked him and the Prime Minister when the royal couple had departed Nadi.