**Bainimarama’s illness exposed: Suffering from acute Perdiemitis**

Guest post by Visiting Perdiemitis Surgeon

Perdiemitis is a rare disease infecting only a select few of the world’s population.

Confined mostly to the third world, it’s prevalence has been diagnosed among those whose work is designed to make them travel frequently to claim their entitlement to be paid per diem (daily) allowances.

In its acute form, perdiemitis affects a handful of government ministers, prime ministers and presidents who regularly find any excuse to go abroad to tend to their nation’s business.

Because the disease is self-inflicted, it is curable – not medically by surgery, but electorally by voting out these parasites on the public purse.

It was only recently revealed that Bainimarama is paying himself $3,000 per diem each day he is out of the country travelling on official business.

He justifies that astronomical amount by claiming it as his lawful entitlement.

Why is it lawful?

Because his AG says Parliament has enacted a law to legalise it.

It doesn’t matter whether it is morally right or even economically sound.

Legalised theft is what it is when Bainimarama’s Fiji First Party members used their majority votes in Parliament to enact a law to enrich him and themselves.

How can anyone in their right mind accept that a PM whose job it is to look after the nation’s welfare smugly claim his entitlement to supplement his enormous salary by another $3,000 per day for being overseas doing what he is already paying himself to do?

Why appoint himself as our country’s Foreign Affairs Minister as well and spend 191 days away from home?

It is a devious ploy and a cunning formula which masks double, triple and multiple dipping into our impoverished nation’s coffers.

What are the costs and benefits of all of those who comprise the massive delegations accompanying Bainimarama on those overseas jaunts?

Will we ever find out the exact quantum of all those bills footed by taxpayers?

Why $3,000 extra for him when we already pay for his first and business class seats along with his limousine transportation (which is usually provided free and with armed security protection by host nations), food, dining and entertainment as well as 5 star hotel accommodation?

Bainimarama’s perdiemitis is a rort. It is unjustified and unjustifiable. A financial scandal that is simply outrageous.

Like appendicitis, this disease can only be removed by clipping his wings.

If we don’t vote him out on 14th November, we are doomed to be ruled for another 4 years by an absent PM who will be busily tripping overseas and amassing his personal fortune.

Why are we voters currently being distracted venting our spleens over Opposition parties’ proposals to increase the national minimum wage from $2.68 per hour while Bainimarama is earning $3,000 per day along with enjoying all the perks of being our poor country’s rich PM?

Perdiemitis can be cured by ordinary Fijians without any medical qualifications at all.

Voting Bainimarama out is his antidote!.

Due your duty as a caring citizen, cure his sickness by voting him out…