Suva (Fiji), June 15 (IANS) An Indo-Fijian minister in Fiji's newly formed government has pledged to spend his salary on the constituency from which he got elected.
In a move that is being seen as a first of its kind in Fiji, Rajesh Singh, the minister of state for youth and sports and a former rugby manager, announced in his maiden speech in parliament Wednesday that he would use his salary money to fund projects in the Cunningham Open constituency.
Singh, who contested as a candidate of the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) party under Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, secured 9,831 votes in last month's general election to win over six other candidates.
'The speed with which people have moved into our peri-urban centres has caused undue pressure on the provision of adequate infrastructure to accommodate the influx,' a report in fijilive.com quoted Singh as telling the lower house of Fiji's parliament.
Cunningham is a densely populated locality falling in the northern part of the greater Suva metropolitan area. It is one of 25 open seats of Fiji's 71-member House of Representatives to which members are elected through universal suffrage.
The remaining 46 are called communal constituencies and are allocated by ethnicity.
Singh said he would use his salary and allowances to fund the construction of bus shelters along the Cunningham and Khalsa Roads respectively, adding that approvals from the Suva City Council are being sought.
Singh, who is one of the youngest ministers in Qarase's cabinet, had earlier promised voters in his constituency that he would forfeit his salary if he were elected.
Ministers of state get a salary of $60,000 per year as well as government quarters. They also receive $1,000 as entertainment allowance and $1,500 as telephone allowance.
Though a minister now, Singh has been a well-known name in Fiji for a long time due to his rugby connections.
Originally from Naitasiri province in Viti Levu island in northern Fiji, Singh was credited with securing a number of sponsorship contracts for the Naitasiri rugby team. He was also part of a number of sports coaching clinics, management courses and professional development, safety and first aid courses.
A personal soccer coach and one-time Fiji Coaching Association treasurer, he was also promotions and marketing manager of the Waimanu Rugby Club and, more recently, coach-cum-manager of the Global Barbarians Rugby Club.
Singh, who did his business management from Hawaii's Brigham Young University, now serves as managing director of Global Sports and Music Ltd and Global Rugby Club Promotions Limited.
In his speech in parliament, he also pledged to find employment for youths in his constituency, both locally and overseas.
'I am a firm believer in investing in and developing the talent of young people to be able to empower themselves to overcome the challenges that face them,' he was quoted as saying.
© 2006 Indo-Asian News Service | 
