by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer
A former long-time staff member of Fiji’s parliament has expressed concern over the quality of political debates within the House, calling for stricter enforcement of standards regarding MPs’ behavior.
On Monday, two MPs from opposing parties engaged in a heated exchange, resorting to name-calling and insults.
Mary Chapman, who served for over 40 years in the civil service, primarily within the parliament office, shared with The Fiji Times that she believes parliamentary standards have significantly declined.
She noted that it was unheard of during her tenure for MPs to use derogatory terms like “murderer” and “chor” (thief) against one another.
“It doesn’t resemble a parliament anymore,” she stated.
“It feels like a ‘Banana Parliament’ where members are hurling accusations of murder and lies at each other. This behavior is unacceptable.
“In my time, calling someone a liar could lead to suspension. Now, the insults have escalated from liar to murderer to ‘chor’; what will happen next?”
Chapman remarked that in her era, the Speaker would intervene to address such outbursts.
She observed that current MPs seem to treat parliament as a venue for humor rather than serious debate.
She expressed concern about the country’s trajectory, emphasizing that “Parliament was serious business,” and that their actions impact all of Fiji.
