According to Fijileaks sources, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Suva has failed to cleanse the Fiji High Commission's "Augean Stable" despite complaints five months ago about alleged bullying and groping at the Fiji High Commission in London; an East European female staff was fired for complaining about being groped by a high-ranking male staff (who is allegedly still at it) and the First Secretary, it is alleged, is behaving as if she is the High Commissioner, with Jitoko Tikolevu acting like a decorated masi 'door mat' only - seven staff have quit alleging they were bullied by First Secretary since she arrived in London
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Ratumaikoro is working allegedly without a contract for a few months now. The HOD for Hospitality, Eric Jioji, is reportedly aware that her contract has not been renewed yet but she is coming to teach every day at the FNU. Coming soon: A lengthy Fijileaks investigation into the appointment of teaching staff reveal that applicants of a particular religious faith from any part of world are given preference over other competencies in academic appointments at FNU. Two candidates (one later appointed despite having no teaching experience) had on their cover application letters the word Muslim scrawled by FNU's HR Department; in other words, to be given special consideration for selection - but who gave the directive?: Fijileaks: We have opened the comments page but want to issue a stern warning: Any anti-Muslim vile comments will not be approved by our censors; as Fijileaks founding editor-in-chief has repeatedly pointed out, he has spent most of his life in exile from native Fijian led governments - Sitiveni Rabuka, Laisenia Qarase and Frank Bainimarama; even threats to 'behead' him were issued by Indo-Fijian Hindus (Ashneel Sudhakar et al). In the case of Bainimarama, it was after our editor-in-chief had revealed that Mahendra Chaudhry was hiding $2million in Australia COMING SOON:
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THE FFP GOVERNMENT WHIP AND NOW PAC CHAIRMAN MADE STATEMENTS TO THIS EFFECT: Ashneel Sudhakar to Nasik Swami: "...Probably there is few options — we will let the people who are in there, phase them out, like retire, they will slowly retire out, retire off or we will advertise again for the positions...[or] transferred to the other - that's one option" |
"What could happen is — they'll all, everyone will be asked to re-apply..." - Sudhakar
Read Full Story below:
Ashneel Sudhakar to Nasik Swami: "...Probably there is few options — we will let the people who are in there, phase them out, like retire, they will slowly retire out, retire off or we will advertise again for the positions. So if somebody is, for example the deputy secretary of finance, and he's been there just because of his experience and there is somebody who is a better candidate, they apply and of course, his experience will be counted in there, his qualifications will be counted in there - so not necessarily lose their job, I mean there's no need to panic that you'll be losing the job, but maybe a better person can replace you in that position while you are transferred to the other - that's one option."
Ashneel Sudhakar: "Not possibility. The possibilities are endless — but what could happen is — they'll all, everyone will be asked to re-apply, right. Like, this is something that is not confirmed yet, it's still being worked out."
Fijileaks: Sudhakar, while demanding a retraction from the Fiji Times, had claimed that he had made no comments on the readvertising of any positions currently held by civil servants; yes, he did - he mentions in the interview (quoted above], as an example, the deputy secretary of finance, unless he doesn't consider his position as a civil service position? And, you have his master Aiyaz Khaiyum telling the media that the Ministry of Civil Service has never planned to re-advertise any existing positions or have civil servants reapply for their jobs. But read Sudhakar [ re Deputy Secretary of Finance]
An analysis of the interview transcript released by the Fiji Times proves ASHNEEL SUDHAKAR, the Government Whip, and chairman of Public Accounts Committee and the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee LIED when he denied making no [any] statements about offers to civil servants of phasing out or retirement, replacement where appointments were without merit or transfer within ministries. The Fiji Times, fearing reprisals from Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum and his side-kick Ashwin Raj, MIDA chairman, plays it safe by declaring:
"The Fiji Times reported, as a certainty, that all civil service positions would be readvertised. We acknowledge that this was to overstate what Mr Sudhakar said. He did not say that this would definitely occur. What he said was: "the possibilities are endless — but what could happen is — they'll all, everyone will be asked to re-apply, right. Like, this is something that is not confirmed yet, it's still being worked out. Mr Sudhakar says that he made no statements about offers to civil servants of phasing out or retirement, replacement where appointments were without merit or transfer within ministries. However, he clearly made a number of comments on those issues."
EXTRACTS from Fiji Times interview with Ashneel Sudhakar:
Nasik Swami: And, you know, when these new procedures and new criterias kick in, are there possibilities of them losing their jobs if they don't qualify on merit?
Ashneel Sudhakar: "Not possibility. The possibilities are endless — but what could happen is — they'll all, everyone will be asked to re-apply, right. Like, this is something that is not confirmed yet, it's still being worked out."
What about comments on phasing out, retirement, replacement? Sudhakar says he NEVER made any such comments - HE DID!
Ashneel Sudhakar to news outlets: “The reporter, Mr Nasik Swami, incorrectly asserts that I stated that more than 30,000 civil service positions will be readvertised and that those employees must then reapply for their jobs. However, I never made any statement to that effect...The reporter also incorrectly asserted that three options would be offered to civil servants who did not meet merit based criteria. These options, “phasing out or retirement, replacement of those appointments without merit and transfer within ministries”, were never a part of my discussions with Mr Swami and I never made any statements to this effect."
"The [Fiji Times] article went on to state that three options would be offered to civil servants, including, “phasing out or retirement, replacement of those appointments without merit and transfer within ministries”. This also does not reflect Government’s Civil Service reform policy. " - Aiyaz Khaiyum's intervention on Ashneel Sudhakar's behalf, Ministry of Information press release
Ashneel Sudhakar to Nasik Swami (Transcript): "...Probably there is few options — we will let the people who are in there, phase them out, like retire, they will slowly retire out, retire off or we will advertise again for the positions. So if somebody is, for example the deputy secretary of finance, and he's been there just because of his experience and there is somebody who is a better candidate, they apply and of course, his experience will be counted in there, his qualifications will be counted in there - so not necessarily lose their job, I mean there's no need to panic that you'll be losing the job, but maybe a better person can replace you in that position while you are transferred to the other - that's one option."
Fijileaks: Sudhakar claimed that he had made no comments on the readvertising of any positions currently held by civil servants; yes, he did - he mentions, as an example, the deputy secretary of finance, unless he doesn't consider this position as a civil service position?
Civil service reforms
The Editor
Fiji Times
Monday, May 16, 2016
ON Thursday May 12, under the headline Intake on merit, The Fiji Times reported on an interview with Government MP Ashneel Sudhakar, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights. The report opened with the paragraph "The Government will readvertise more than 30,000 civil service positions to ensure that all intakes are merit-based."
The article went on to report Mr Sudhakar saying that those employed in the civil service would need to reapply for their jobs.
Mr Sudhakar has complained that he was inaccurately reported by The Fiji Times reporter Nasik Swami. He said in a statement "I made no comment on the readvertising of any positions currently held by civil servants as that is not the plan of the Ministry of Civil Service."
Mr Sudhakar also denied saying that civil servants who did not meet merit-based criteria would be phased out or retired, replaced or transferred within ministries. He said that these were "never a part of my discussions with Mr Swami and I never made any statements to this effect."
The interview was tape-recorded. The Fiji Times editorial management has reviewed a transcript of the interview.
Relevant extracts from the transcript are set out below:
Ashneel Sudhakar (AS): OK. So yes Nasik, what we have talked about today in the committee is basically on these civil service reforms. So what used to be the Fiji Public Service Commission will now become the Ministry for Civil Service, right. And what that means is that, you know we had the old belief that once you enter the civil service, you are there for life, life guarantee, life insurance, whether you perform or not, you just hang in there until you retire and you get your pension. That's all going to change because all the recruitments will now be, that includes the new staff and also old staff who have been there, they will be offered new contracts as part of the reforms. So it will be a contractual system, the duration is still being worked out, we don't whether it's going to be three years, five years — but I think, I believe it will be three years. So everybody will be recruited on merit.
Nasik Swami (NS): Ashneel, does that mean that, you know, those who are currently in the civil service [---]
AS: Yes, yes [---]
NS: and, you know, when these new procedures and new criterias kick in, are there possibilities of them losing their jobs if they don't qualify on merit?
AS: Not possibility — I mean the possibilities are endless — but what could happen is - they'll all, everyone will be asked to re-apply, right. Like, this is something that is not confirmed yet, it's still being worked out. Like, probably there is few options — we will let the people who are in there, phase them out, like retire, they will slowly retire out, retire off or we will advertise again for the positions. So if somebody is, for example the deputy secretary of finance, and he's been there just because of his experience and there is somebody who is a better candidate, they apply and of course, his experience will be counted in there, his qualifications will be counted in there - so not necessarily lose their job, I mean there's no need to panic that you'll be losing the job, but maybe a better person can replace you in that position while you are transferred to the other - that's one option. Of course, the drastic option is to, if somebody's been there without any merit and possibly by nepotism, then he goes home and somebody else replaces him. Now the bottom line that we want to ensure is not to kill somebody's livelihood"
NS: Yes?
AS: [?} not to put people on the streets, but service delivery. That has been the hallmark of the FijiFirst government, service delivery, we want that to happen.
Based on the above extracts:
The Fiji Times reported, as a certainty, that all civil service positions would be readvertised. We acknowledge that this was to overstate what Mr Sudhakar said.
He did not say that this would definitely occur. What he said was: "the possibilities are endless — but what could happen is — they'll all, everyone will be asked to re-apply, right. Like, this is something that is not confirmed yet, it's still being worked out."
Mr Sudhakar says that he made no statements about offers to civil servants of phasing out or retirement, replacement where appointments were without merit or transfer within ministries.
However, he clearly made a number of comments on those issues.
The Editor
Fiji Times
Monday, May 16, 2016
ON Thursday May 12, under the headline Intake on merit, The Fiji Times reported on an interview with Government MP Ashneel Sudhakar, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights. The report opened with the paragraph "The Government will readvertise more than 30,000 civil service positions to ensure that all intakes are merit-based."
The article went on to report Mr Sudhakar saying that those employed in the civil service would need to reapply for their jobs.
Mr Sudhakar has complained that he was inaccurately reported by The Fiji Times reporter Nasik Swami. He said in a statement "I made no comment on the readvertising of any positions currently held by civil servants as that is not the plan of the Ministry of Civil Service."
Mr Sudhakar also denied saying that civil servants who did not meet merit-based criteria would be phased out or retired, replaced or transferred within ministries. He said that these were "never a part of my discussions with Mr Swami and I never made any statements to this effect."
The interview was tape-recorded. The Fiji Times editorial management has reviewed a transcript of the interview.
Relevant extracts from the transcript are set out below:
Ashneel Sudhakar (AS): OK. So yes Nasik, what we have talked about today in the committee is basically on these civil service reforms. So what used to be the Fiji Public Service Commission will now become the Ministry for Civil Service, right. And what that means is that, you know we had the old belief that once you enter the civil service, you are there for life, life guarantee, life insurance, whether you perform or not, you just hang in there until you retire and you get your pension. That's all going to change because all the recruitments will now be, that includes the new staff and also old staff who have been there, they will be offered new contracts as part of the reforms. So it will be a contractual system, the duration is still being worked out, we don't whether it's going to be three years, five years — but I think, I believe it will be three years. So everybody will be recruited on merit.
Nasik Swami (NS): Ashneel, does that mean that, you know, those who are currently in the civil service [---]
AS: Yes, yes [---]
NS: and, you know, when these new procedures and new criterias kick in, are there possibilities of them losing their jobs if they don't qualify on merit?
AS: Not possibility — I mean the possibilities are endless — but what could happen is - they'll all, everyone will be asked to re-apply, right. Like, this is something that is not confirmed yet, it's still being worked out. Like, probably there is few options — we will let the people who are in there, phase them out, like retire, they will slowly retire out, retire off or we will advertise again for the positions. So if somebody is, for example the deputy secretary of finance, and he's been there just because of his experience and there is somebody who is a better candidate, they apply and of course, his experience will be counted in there, his qualifications will be counted in there - so not necessarily lose their job, I mean there's no need to panic that you'll be losing the job, but maybe a better person can replace you in that position while you are transferred to the other - that's one option. Of course, the drastic option is to, if somebody's been there without any merit and possibly by nepotism, then he goes home and somebody else replaces him. Now the bottom line that we want to ensure is not to kill somebody's livelihood"
NS: Yes?
AS: [?} not to put people on the streets, but service delivery. That has been the hallmark of the FijiFirst government, service delivery, we want that to happen.
Based on the above extracts:
The Fiji Times reported, as a certainty, that all civil service positions would be readvertised. We acknowledge that this was to overstate what Mr Sudhakar said.
He did not say that this would definitely occur. What he said was: "the possibilities are endless — but what could happen is — they'll all, everyone will be asked to re-apply, right. Like, this is something that is not confirmed yet, it's still being worked out."
Mr Sudhakar says that he made no statements about offers to civil servants of phasing out or retirement, replacement where appointments were without merit or transfer within ministries.
However, he clearly made a number of comments on those issues.
Intake on merit
Nasik Swami
Fiji Times
Thursday, May 12, 2016
THE Government will re-advertise more than 30,000 civil service positions to ensure that all intakes are merit-based. (Fijileaks: Was Nasik Swami right/wrong when one reads Sudhakar's reply to a question: I mean the possibilities are endless — but what could happen is - they'll all, everyone will be asked to re-apply, right.) This is a move by the State to ensure efficiency within the civil service as the restructure of public servants picks momentum. Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights, Ashneel Sudhakar, whose committee is overseeing the 2014 annual report of the Public Service Commission now the Ministry of Civil Service, said those employed in the civil service would need to re-apply for their jobs.
Mr Sudhakar said as part of the re-advertisement of the positions, new positions would be on contractual basis, pressuring civil servants to perform or ship out.
"So what used to be the Fiji Public Service Commission will now become the Ministry for Civil Service and what that means is that we had the old belief that once you enter the civil service, you are there for life, it's a life insurance and whether you perform or not, you just hang in there until you retire then you get your pension," he said. Mr Sudhakar said those who had been appointed in the civil service on the basis of nepotism had more reason to be concerned.
"It won't be like people call and say, it's whom you know kind of situation, if you know the person, you will get recruited, and it's no longer that system. "It used to happen that senior civil servants would just appoint their family members, put them in their department and suddenly promote them to senior level - that will stop." He said the recruitments would be merit based - meaning that if you were the best person for the job, you would get it and then performed at optimal level because the next person who was below you could always overtook if he or she performed better. "It's like the private sector where you cannot be guaranteed of a job that you are there, do whatever you want and nobody will take you out. In the civil service, that is the attitude.
"So when you go to the hospitals, when you go to the Ministry of Finance, you don't want a person who does not know how to serve you. We want the best service to be delivered to the people." He said as part of the reforms, some civil servants would be offered with options which include:
* Phasing out or retirement;
* Replacement of those appointment without merit and;
* Transfer within ministries
Mr Sudhakar said the time frame of the new changes would take two-three years and advertisements of positions would start soon. Civil Service Ministry permanent secretary Bernadette Welch, who also presented to the committee yesterday, said for civil servants, their expectations would be embodied in their performance agreement. Ms Welch said civil servants performance would be monitored through the performance management system and would be subject to review.
Nasik Swami
Fiji Times
Thursday, May 12, 2016
THE Government will re-advertise more than 30,000 civil service positions to ensure that all intakes are merit-based. (Fijileaks: Was Nasik Swami right/wrong when one reads Sudhakar's reply to a question: I mean the possibilities are endless — but what could happen is - they'll all, everyone will be asked to re-apply, right.) This is a move by the State to ensure efficiency within the civil service as the restructure of public servants picks momentum. Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights, Ashneel Sudhakar, whose committee is overseeing the 2014 annual report of the Public Service Commission now the Ministry of Civil Service, said those employed in the civil service would need to re-apply for their jobs.
Mr Sudhakar said as part of the re-advertisement of the positions, new positions would be on contractual basis, pressuring civil servants to perform or ship out.
"So what used to be the Fiji Public Service Commission will now become the Ministry for Civil Service and what that means is that we had the old belief that once you enter the civil service, you are there for life, it's a life insurance and whether you perform or not, you just hang in there until you retire then you get your pension," he said. Mr Sudhakar said those who had been appointed in the civil service on the basis of nepotism had more reason to be concerned.
"It won't be like people call and say, it's whom you know kind of situation, if you know the person, you will get recruited, and it's no longer that system. "It used to happen that senior civil servants would just appoint their family members, put them in their department and suddenly promote them to senior level - that will stop." He said the recruitments would be merit based - meaning that if you were the best person for the job, you would get it and then performed at optimal level because the next person who was below you could always overtook if he or she performed better. "It's like the private sector where you cannot be guaranteed of a job that you are there, do whatever you want and nobody will take you out. In the civil service, that is the attitude.
"So when you go to the hospitals, when you go to the Ministry of Finance, you don't want a person who does not know how to serve you. We want the best service to be delivered to the people." He said as part of the reforms, some civil servants would be offered with options which include:
* Phasing out or retirement;
* Replacement of those appointment without merit and;
* Transfer within ministries
Mr Sudhakar said the time frame of the new changes would take two-three years and advertisements of positions would start soon. Civil Service Ministry permanent secretary Bernadette Welch, who also presented to the committee yesterday, said for civil servants, their expectations would be embodied in their performance agreement. Ms Welch said civil servants performance would be monitored through the performance management system and would be subject to review.
COMING SOON:
RUMPUS AT THE REGISTRY OF TITLES OFFICE - A FFP Supporter, the Gossiping Government MP and the Shuddering Titles Office Staff!
EVERY Fijian, regardless of their background, gender or age, must rise above the issue of ethnicity and religion and embrace one another for a better Fiji.
The President of Fiji, Jioje Konrote, made these comments at the 137th Girmit Day celebrations at Syria Park in Nausori.
Mr Konrote said Fiji must move forward as one and learn from the challenges faced by its forefathers.
"The celebration today (yesterday) has brought all of us together to honour the lives of these great individuals who came in as indentured labourers but have over the years contributed immensely to the socio-cultural and economic development of our great nation," Mr Konrote said.
"Their effort is a beacon of hope for us all to continue to strive forward together as one nation and one people amidst challenges and adversities, for there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
"Some of the challenges of the journeys in this life will test our patience and endurance beyond our limits and it is only then, that we realise we have the potential to push beyond our normal boundaries."
He added that the government was working to remove barriers to unity in the nation, and encouraged the younger generation to acknowledge their history.
"We need to understand the history behind us to allow us to ponder and wisely choose the pathways we need to follow to improve our lives as we journey together into the future.
"The original forms of our history need to be revitalised to ensure that we safeguard our common identity and its significance." Source: Fiji Times
The President of Fiji, Jioje Konrote, made these comments at the 137th Girmit Day celebrations at Syria Park in Nausori.
Mr Konrote said Fiji must move forward as one and learn from the challenges faced by its forefathers.
"The celebration today (yesterday) has brought all of us together to honour the lives of these great individuals who came in as indentured labourers but have over the years contributed immensely to the socio-cultural and economic development of our great nation," Mr Konrote said.
"Their effort is a beacon of hope for us all to continue to strive forward together as one nation and one people amidst challenges and adversities, for there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
"Some of the challenges of the journeys in this life will test our patience and endurance beyond our limits and it is only then, that we realise we have the potential to push beyond our normal boundaries."
He added that the government was working to remove barriers to unity in the nation, and encouraged the younger generation to acknowledge their history.
"We need to understand the history behind us to allow us to ponder and wisely choose the pathways we need to follow to improve our lives as we journey together into the future.
"The original forms of our history need to be revitalised to ensure that we safeguard our common identity and its significance." Source: Fiji Times
FCGA Submission to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on Bills 19 & 20 of
2016
Friday, May 13, 2016
INTRODUCTION
The Fiji Cane Growers Association was formed in 1992 and has since been a significant voice in the sugar industry. It was a major player within the Sugar Cane Growers Council and enjoyed between 42-47 percent support amongst cane growers generally during elections of the Sugar Cane Growers Council - the four elections it contested every three years from 1995 to 2004.
The FCGA’s service to growers was rewarded in late 2000 when it led the Sugar Cane Growers Council – the umbrella organisation of growers.
For six years between 2000 and December 2006, the FCGA through the Sugar Cane Growers Council uplifted the livelihood of growers and helped them overcome challenges like rising cost of sugarcane production. The FCGA-led Growers Council also finalised a plan for comprehensive assistance to growers following the announcement of a $275 million European Union grant , which over a period of seven years would have boosted sugarcane production to over 4 million tonnes, helped displaced growers and implemented Alternative Livelihood Programs and Crop diversification. Unfortunately, the military coup of December 2006 not only derailed the EU grant but also resulted in the ousting of the FCGA and its Chief Executive from the Growers Council by the military regime.
The regime later disbanded the Sugar Cane Growers Council and further directed the Fiji Sugar Corporation to cease deduction of growers membership levy to the FCGA in an attempt to kill the organisation.
Sugar Industry Reforms
The deteriorating state of the sugar industry is also largely linked to the problems faced by cane growers. Problems of the growers remain largely unresolved or have exacerbated primarily due to the erosion of their constitutional right to be a major voice in the sugar industry. A month after the military coup of 5th December 2006, the composition of the Sugar Cane Growers Council, which is the umbrella body of growers, was tinkered with and the legitimate authority usurped, spearheaded by the unlawful sacking of the SCGC Chief Executive Officer as well as by the regime’s then sugar minister’s move to install his political supporters to positions of authority.
Almost three years later in 2009, the SCGC was scrapped, which meant that the last remaining democratically elected institution comprising of elected representatives of the cane growers was abolished.
The Regime, upon a recommendation of its Sugar Minister, deferred the Growers Council elections scheduled for 2007 to 2008 through a Decree. In 2008, the regime’s Cabinet, once again acting on the recommendation of its sugar minister, postponed the elections until 2010. The reason for the postponement, according to the then sugar minister was that SCGC elections would be an impediment to reforms being undertaken in the industry. Although the regime’s sugar minister exited the military government’s Cabinet in August 2008, reforms continued arbitrarily and growers’ voice was throttled when as earlier stated, the SCGC was scrapped as an elected body.
This was legitimized on August 25, 2015, when the Government used its Parliamentary majority to pass the Sugar Industry (Amendment) Bill. This abolished the democratic status of the Sugar Cane Growers Council (SCGC).
Reform of the Sugar Cane Industry Bill Number 19 of 2016
At a time when the Indo-Fijian community or Fijians of Indian descent as known under the 2013 Constitution are commemorating the 137th anniversary of the first arrival of Indentured labourers, descendants the Indentured labourers on 14th May 1879, who are predominantly cane growers, face enslavement or another Girmit, if the Reform of the Sugar Cane Industry Bill Number 19 of 2016 is passed in Parliament by the Fiji First Government using its numerical majority.
Having studied the Reform of the Sugar Cane Industry Bill Number 19 of 2016 and considering the views of the stakeholders who have made submission to the standing committee it is clear that sugarcane growers will be further enslaved and they will be at the mercy of government and the Fiji Sugar Corporation in everything they do as part of sugar cane farming.
The Bill affects the livelihood of 200,000 people in our nation who are directly or indirectly dependent on the sugar industry. Worse, it will subjugate around 16,000 growers, 12,872 of whom are active, under the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) and Government, reminiscent of their darkest days during the 93 year old stranglehold of the industry and the nation by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR) (1880-1960) and its subsidiary South Pacific Sugar Mills (SPSM) (1961-1973).
Against a backdrop of such a frightening scenario for growers, the parliamentary standing committee on Economic Affairs scrutinising Bill No. 19, will devote only around 20 hours of its time in receiving submissions from growers and the public in 8 cane growing districts over a period of 6 days. And that too when growers are lacking knowledge on the more than draconian features of the Bill which hasn’t been publicised and not even translated into the i-Taukei and Hindi languages. Is this Government’s version of common and equal citizenry that is supposed to provide equal opportunities to all?
Sugar Cane Growers Fund Amendment Bill No. 20 of 2016
We strongly object to the amendment to the SCGC Act that empowers the Minister to direct the SCGF Board where to invest the funds. This is untenable. These Funds were raised by growers with the purpose of assisting them financially during their hardship. The proposed change will give Government total control of the Fund because of the structure of the Board. Its Chairman is the Director of Sugar and has the Executive Chairman of FSC as a Board Member. This is totally unacceptable. Growers as the sole shareholders of the Fund must have control of SCGF. If there is to be any supervision of the Fund, it should be done by the Reserve Bank of Fiji. Government should have no influence and control over it.
Sugar Industry Act
The Bill seeks to repeal the Sugar Industry Act of 1984, which was a product of widespread consultation, negotiation and consensus building before it was tabled in the House of Representatives and agreed to both by the then Alliance Government led by Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and the Opposition National Federation Party led by Siddiq Moidin Koya (SM Koya) in a truly bipartisan manner. The Act recognised the importance of the largest stakeholders of the industry – cane growers, thereby creating an umbrella body, the Sugar Cane Growers Council that was a fully democratized institution.
The Act also made provision for the Master Award, which came into force in 1990. But it incorporated the Denning Award, awarded to cane growers by Lord Denning after impressive submissions in 1969 from their then leader A D Patel. Mr S M Koya ably supported him.
The Denning Award ensured equality, dignity and justice for cane growers. The Fiji First Government has time and again in Parliament accused, albeit frivolously, the current NFP leadership of undermining the achievements and vision of its founder leaders. Yet, this Government is destroying the legacy, achievements, vision, and honest hard work of A D Patel and S M Koya by forcing this Bill down the throats of growers. CSR quit Fiji because it did not agree with the Denning Award. However, the Fiji First Government through this Bill, is treating growers like beasts of burden who have outlived their usefulness.
Subjugation
The Sugar Cane Industry Reform Bill demolishes all freedoms, independence, fair play and justice for cane growers. Every aspect of their livelihood is controlled by the Fiji Sugar Corporation and Government through the Minister for Sugar, who currently happens to be the Prime Minister.
Rescuing FSC?
The Bill’s intention is to rescue FSC by turning the loans and guarantees by Government into State equity. Government currently has 68% shares in FSC. Minority shareholders own 32%. Government wants to take over all shares and compensate other shareholders by paying them the value of the share price of FSC.
Currently the FSC is technically insolvent. However FSC Executive Chairman Abdul Khan claims FSC will become profitable in 3 years because according to him by 2020 the sugar cane crop production will increase to 3.5 million tonnes and sugar production to 437,500 tonnes by ensuring 50,000 hectares of land is used for cane cultivation yielding 80 tonnes per hectare.
He says currently 47,000 hectares is used for cane cultivation. This contradicts the Ministry of Sugar, which said 42,000 hectares was currently used for cane planting while 39,000 lay idle.
Abdul Khan has been the Executive Chairman for many years. The Annual General Meeting of FSC was held for 3 years on 27th May 2015. On 29th May 2015 the Fiji Times reported Mr Khan as saying that FSC had, quote, “good reasons for not holding an AGM over the last three years and not releasing the information because at the time there was lot of to and fro in the industry and for the company as well”.
“There was talk of divestment, there was talk of share buyback, There were all sorts of talk”, Mr Khan was reported as saying. He said the Corporation wanted to protect sensitive information because “it would have compromised the position of all the shareholders, not just the majority shareholders but also minority ones”. -
Can Mr Khan inform the people of Fiji of any commercial company or statutory organisation that deliberately delays its AGM for three years because of “to and fro” talks? If FSC can deliberately delay its AGM for three years, what guarantee is that despite enslaving and controlling cane growers, it will be able to achieve its targets in 2020?
The answer is a simple NO. Even it would not have happened if the FSC had announced its targets before TC Winston devastated the sugar industry in North Western Viti Levu. This is evident from the industry’s cane and sugar production figures of the last 9 years until 2015 – 8 of which were under the military regime and Bainimarama government.
If Mr Khan’s statistic that currently 47,000 hectares of land is under sugar cane crop then currently only 39.14 tonnes of cane is produced per hectare. Therefore his bold announcement of an 80 tonnes per hectare from 50,000 hectares of land by 2020 is simply unachievable especially if growers are forced to endure another Girmit under Bill No. 19. FSC also produces cane. Can Mr Khan reveal what is the average tonnage per hectare on FSC farms?
The other issue is whether the minority shareholders who have 32% stake in FSC were consulted before this Bill was tabled in Parliament. Was the Board of FSC aware of this Bill? Were the Sugar Industry Tribunal, Sugar Cane Growers Council and Sugar Research Institute of Fiji aware that their independence was being eroded via a Bill?
The devastating impact of the 2006 coup on the sugar industry
The fallout from the 2006 military coup has been devastating for the sugar industry and the livelihood of growers.
This has been through now what has become a reality, the total loss of the $350 million grant to the sugar industry over a period of 7 years from 2006 to 2013.
A sum of $275 million was allocated for the program known as Sugar Adaptation Strategy. The FCGA believes a sum of $8.9 million was given from the 2006 program. But this was primarily to industry institutions like the Sugar Research Institute, not for direct assistance to growers.
This grant has been lost. It was aimed at economic diversification in the sugar sector and to provide assistance for social impact mitigation measures for displaced growers who could not meet their increased cane production targets.
If the coup hadn’t destroyed democracy, Fiji could have now been producing around 4 million tonnes of cane and manufacturing around 400,000 tonnes of sugar. The sugar industry would have been salvaged had the military regime fulfilled its commitment to hold elections by March 2009.
Fiji and the cane growers are poorer for the loss of the EU grant.
Industry in death throes
These Bills will kill the sugar industry. After the coup in December 2006 the military government started interfering with the industry. As a result cane production has declined by almost 50%. Sugar production has declined by almost 100,000 tonnes as revealed by the official figures in our submission.
At a time when growers are trying to recover from the effects of TC Winston, Government must direct all efforts towards helping them. Instead it is sending them back into Girmit 100 years after the arrival of the last indentured labourers in 1916.
The bottom line is cane growers are being stripped of all their rights just to save FSC. The Fiji First government has confirmed through this Bill that growers are sacrificial lambs.
Conclusion
We reject these Bills outright and request the Committee to do the only sensible thing and that is to recommend that these be shelved.
These Bills will debilitate cane growers, making cane growing totally unprofitable and pushing growers into debt in perpetuity.
Government claims reforms implemented by it both before and after the elections have revived the industry. Nothing can be further from the truth.
Cane farming has become a non-profitable business for at least 70% of growers who produce only 30% of the total cane crop while 30% of growers produce 70% of the crop. For 2013 season growers received the highest payment of a little less than $89 per tonne. If one removes the cost of production, harvesting and delivery of cane of $45 per tonne, the nett income that growers get from a tonne of cane is $44.
70 percent of growers produce an average of 150 tonnes of cane. About 12,872 are active growers. That leaves 9000 growers in this category.
Their net income at $44 by 150 tonnes is $6,600 in a season. This is $9,400 below the tax threshold of $16,000. No other commercial business can survive on this.
The sugar industry statistics prove that the industry is plummeting. The only improvement has been in the area of TCTS (Tonnes of cane required to make a tonne of sugar). It must be emphasised that this was through a $85 million mill upgrade program through a soft loan from the Exim Bank of India, negotiated in late 2005 by the deposed government before the military coup. The military regime and this Government benefited from this.
The Prime Minister has repeatedly rejected calls for a bi-partisan approach to find solutions to revive the industry through a parliamentary select committee on sugar. Such a committee has always been in existence throughout our history of parliamentary democracy but is sorely absent this time around. The positive impact of such a Committee can be evidenced from the fact that bipartisanship resulted in the Sugar Industry Act, resulting in prosperity of growers and economic advancement of the nation.
However, this Government’s reforms, which it arbitrarily imposed is not working. And given such a scenario, it is only prudent that a collective approach is made to find solutions before it is too late.
The establishment of a parliamentary select committee on sugar and the democratization of the SCGC would be an ideal start for the instilling of confidence in cane growers.
Also the Sugar Ministry has been a separate portfolio in all governments since Independence. But here we see that the Prime Minister is responsible for Sugar. But at the same time the PM’s devotion of time towards the industry is limited because of his hectic schedule and overseas travel. For Government to do justice, Sugar must have a separate ministry.
A feeling of disenchantment is undoubtedly being felt by the growers, their families, the cane cutters, lorry operators, lorry drivers, labourers and farm hands. This Bill is the biggest disincentive for a segment of Fiji’s population who have sacrificed their livelihood and triumphant days to ensure the sugar industry remained the lifeblood of Fiji’s economy for over a 100 years.
We re-iterate that the Sugar Industry Act must be retained. We demand that the structure of Sugar Cane Growers Council that existed before the military coup must be retained and not controlled by Government. Growers through the SCGC must have a say in the marketing of sugar and other matters of importance that affect their livelihood.
If these Bill is not shelved, then Government should expect more growers to exit the sugar industry and a sharp decline in cane production because of enslavement of growers.
Attar Singh Bala Dass
President General Secretary
2016
Friday, May 13, 2016
INTRODUCTION
The Fiji Cane Growers Association was formed in 1992 and has since been a significant voice in the sugar industry. It was a major player within the Sugar Cane Growers Council and enjoyed between 42-47 percent support amongst cane growers generally during elections of the Sugar Cane Growers Council - the four elections it contested every three years from 1995 to 2004.
The FCGA’s service to growers was rewarded in late 2000 when it led the Sugar Cane Growers Council – the umbrella organisation of growers.
For six years between 2000 and December 2006, the FCGA through the Sugar Cane Growers Council uplifted the livelihood of growers and helped them overcome challenges like rising cost of sugarcane production. The FCGA-led Growers Council also finalised a plan for comprehensive assistance to growers following the announcement of a $275 million European Union grant , which over a period of seven years would have boosted sugarcane production to over 4 million tonnes, helped displaced growers and implemented Alternative Livelihood Programs and Crop diversification. Unfortunately, the military coup of December 2006 not only derailed the EU grant but also resulted in the ousting of the FCGA and its Chief Executive from the Growers Council by the military regime.
The regime later disbanded the Sugar Cane Growers Council and further directed the Fiji Sugar Corporation to cease deduction of growers membership levy to the FCGA in an attempt to kill the organisation.
Sugar Industry Reforms
The deteriorating state of the sugar industry is also largely linked to the problems faced by cane growers. Problems of the growers remain largely unresolved or have exacerbated primarily due to the erosion of their constitutional right to be a major voice in the sugar industry. A month after the military coup of 5th December 2006, the composition of the Sugar Cane Growers Council, which is the umbrella body of growers, was tinkered with and the legitimate authority usurped, spearheaded by the unlawful sacking of the SCGC Chief Executive Officer as well as by the regime’s then sugar minister’s move to install his political supporters to positions of authority.
Almost three years later in 2009, the SCGC was scrapped, which meant that the last remaining democratically elected institution comprising of elected representatives of the cane growers was abolished.
The Regime, upon a recommendation of its Sugar Minister, deferred the Growers Council elections scheduled for 2007 to 2008 through a Decree. In 2008, the regime’s Cabinet, once again acting on the recommendation of its sugar minister, postponed the elections until 2010. The reason for the postponement, according to the then sugar minister was that SCGC elections would be an impediment to reforms being undertaken in the industry. Although the regime’s sugar minister exited the military government’s Cabinet in August 2008, reforms continued arbitrarily and growers’ voice was throttled when as earlier stated, the SCGC was scrapped as an elected body.
This was legitimized on August 25, 2015, when the Government used its Parliamentary majority to pass the Sugar Industry (Amendment) Bill. This abolished the democratic status of the Sugar Cane Growers Council (SCGC).
Reform of the Sugar Cane Industry Bill Number 19 of 2016
At a time when the Indo-Fijian community or Fijians of Indian descent as known under the 2013 Constitution are commemorating the 137th anniversary of the first arrival of Indentured labourers, descendants the Indentured labourers on 14th May 1879, who are predominantly cane growers, face enslavement or another Girmit, if the Reform of the Sugar Cane Industry Bill Number 19 of 2016 is passed in Parliament by the Fiji First Government using its numerical majority.
Having studied the Reform of the Sugar Cane Industry Bill Number 19 of 2016 and considering the views of the stakeholders who have made submission to the standing committee it is clear that sugarcane growers will be further enslaved and they will be at the mercy of government and the Fiji Sugar Corporation in everything they do as part of sugar cane farming.
The Bill affects the livelihood of 200,000 people in our nation who are directly or indirectly dependent on the sugar industry. Worse, it will subjugate around 16,000 growers, 12,872 of whom are active, under the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) and Government, reminiscent of their darkest days during the 93 year old stranglehold of the industry and the nation by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR) (1880-1960) and its subsidiary South Pacific Sugar Mills (SPSM) (1961-1973).
Against a backdrop of such a frightening scenario for growers, the parliamentary standing committee on Economic Affairs scrutinising Bill No. 19, will devote only around 20 hours of its time in receiving submissions from growers and the public in 8 cane growing districts over a period of 6 days. And that too when growers are lacking knowledge on the more than draconian features of the Bill which hasn’t been publicised and not even translated into the i-Taukei and Hindi languages. Is this Government’s version of common and equal citizenry that is supposed to provide equal opportunities to all?
Sugar Cane Growers Fund Amendment Bill No. 20 of 2016
We strongly object to the amendment to the SCGC Act that empowers the Minister to direct the SCGF Board where to invest the funds. This is untenable. These Funds were raised by growers with the purpose of assisting them financially during their hardship. The proposed change will give Government total control of the Fund because of the structure of the Board. Its Chairman is the Director of Sugar and has the Executive Chairman of FSC as a Board Member. This is totally unacceptable. Growers as the sole shareholders of the Fund must have control of SCGF. If there is to be any supervision of the Fund, it should be done by the Reserve Bank of Fiji. Government should have no influence and control over it.
Sugar Industry Act
The Bill seeks to repeal the Sugar Industry Act of 1984, which was a product of widespread consultation, negotiation and consensus building before it was tabled in the House of Representatives and agreed to both by the then Alliance Government led by Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and the Opposition National Federation Party led by Siddiq Moidin Koya (SM Koya) in a truly bipartisan manner. The Act recognised the importance of the largest stakeholders of the industry – cane growers, thereby creating an umbrella body, the Sugar Cane Growers Council that was a fully democratized institution.
The Act also made provision for the Master Award, which came into force in 1990. But it incorporated the Denning Award, awarded to cane growers by Lord Denning after impressive submissions in 1969 from their then leader A D Patel. Mr S M Koya ably supported him.
The Denning Award ensured equality, dignity and justice for cane growers. The Fiji First Government has time and again in Parliament accused, albeit frivolously, the current NFP leadership of undermining the achievements and vision of its founder leaders. Yet, this Government is destroying the legacy, achievements, vision, and honest hard work of A D Patel and S M Koya by forcing this Bill down the throats of growers. CSR quit Fiji because it did not agree with the Denning Award. However, the Fiji First Government through this Bill, is treating growers like beasts of burden who have outlived their usefulness.
Subjugation
The Sugar Cane Industry Reform Bill demolishes all freedoms, independence, fair play and justice for cane growers. Every aspect of their livelihood is controlled by the Fiji Sugar Corporation and Government through the Minister for Sugar, who currently happens to be the Prime Minister.
- Another Girmit: This Bill is worse than draconian – it is an imposition of another Girmit also on the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the last shipload of Indentured labourers in 1916. And this very serious issue is not even being explained to growers who are entitled to information regarding the Bill. Government cannot expect growers to download the Bill from Parliament website and scrutinise because majority of growers do not understand the complexities of issues and depend on their children and most importantly their leaders to explain issues to them.
- Total lack of Information: This Bill should have been translated into Hindi and i-Taukei languages and widely distributed. There should be a comparison between the current Bill and what is in the Sugar Industry Act. That is how growers can understand what is in this Bill and what they are losing by way of repealing the Act.
- Rescuing FSC: The Bill is also about rescuing FSC and writing off its debt to Government at the expense of eroding every right of growers. It must be understood that without cane growers there is no sugar industry or FSC – it is as simple as this.
- Sugar Industry Tribunal: The powers of the Tribunal have been diluted. The Tribunal cannot hear disputes between growers and FSC independently of any stakeholders. It can only hear disputes after it has been certified by the Permanent Secretary for Sugar. This means the Government controls and decides what is a dispute and what is not. This is denial of access to fair hearing and justice. There is no Registrar to the Tribunal as has been the case for 31 years under the Sugar Industry Act. Under this Bill, the Tribunal will be appointed by the Chief Justice. Under the Sugar Industry Act, the Tribunal was appointed by the Chairman of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (the CJ) after consultation with the Commission. Under the Bill, the Tribunal is subservient to Government through the Permanent Secretary for Sugar. As a person qualified to be appointed a judge, the Tribunal has been responsible for ensuring all stakeholders adhere to the Master Award and rightly so because an Award is a legal contract and determinations are judicial in nature. Under the Bill, this role is with the Minister for Sugar and his/her Permanent Secretary in terms of determining what is or not a dispute.
- Accountant of the Industry: Under this Bill the Accountant will be appointed by the Minister and amongst other things, perform duties assigned to him or her by the Minister. Under the Sugar Industry Act, there has been an Accountant to the Tribunal, appointed by the Minister in consultation with the Standing Select Committee on Sugar of the House of Representatives. This has been important because the Tribunal certifies cane payments.
- Sugar Cane Growers Council: The Sugar Cane Growers Council is now a toothless tiger. If this Bill is passed in its current form, the Council changes from a toothless tiger to a puppet of Government because it will be fully controlled by Government. It will have two members each from three cane producing associations – which were formed to administer Fair Trade only. They are not representative of all growers. Then it will have two Divisional Commissioners and a representative of the Sugar Ministry. The Minister will appoint the Council and the Chairman. The Council has no role in negotiating sale of sugar. Its role is confined to basic cane cultivation issues. This is unacceptable. Furthermore, the appointment of representatives of the Cane Producers Association to the SCGC is highly questionable. In the case of the Rarawai Cane Producers Association, the Chairman has been excluded on the pretext that he produces less than 100 tonnes of cane. If the same rule is applied, then it should be applied across the board so that all members of the Council are cane growers.
- The Register of Cane Growers is no longer in the hands of the Tribunal. It is with Fiji Sugar Corporation. A registration of a grower can be cancelled by FSC on its own or upon the order of the Minister for Sugar. This is the height of politicisation.
- Master Award: Part 5 of the Bill is like a noose around growers’ necks. The Minister for Sugar has powers to revoke the Master Award. The Minister then can make the Master Award in consultation with the FSC and Growers Council. Both are fully controlled by Government. Where is the voice of growers? A draft Master Award will be subject to public hearings. It will be a product of Government, FSC and SCGC – all politically controlled. This is like putting the cart before the horse. Even if other stakeholders and representatives of growers suggest changes, such changes will only be incorporated in the Master Award if it is agreeable to both FSC and SCGC. This will not happen because of the political control by Government of both organisations. The current master award, which continues until it is revoked, was a product of public consultation. It wasn’t a ready-made document as will be the case under this Bill. In his submission to the Economic Affairs Committee last week, the Registrar to the Tribunal revealed that the Quality Cane Payment will come into force next year. This is shocking because growers don’t know about it. It will mean the unilateral revocation of the master award and the current sharing formula of proceeds from the sale of sugar of 70/30 in favour of growers will be abolished. The current Master Award must be retained and any variation in future referred to the Tribunal for determination.
- Growers treated like criminals: The Bill criminalises cane production. Growers are now threatened with fines as fixed penalties of up to $500 for the schedule of offences growers commit. If they refuse to pay the fixed penalties, they can be fined up to $5,000 or imprisoned for 12months, or both. A grower commits an offence if he/she delays harvesting or refuses to plant cane unless he/she gives a 7-day notice to the Permanent Secretary for Sugar. For example, if due to continuous milling inefficiencies, a grower decides to stop harvesting, it is an offence. A grower must allow the Permanent Secretary 14 days to rule on the dispute. This means that growers are at the mercy of Government, which has direct control of their livelihood. Yet there are no penalties for FSC for any of its failures or negligence.
- SRIF: The Sugar Research Institute of Fiji will no longer be an independent body and under this Bill it will be controlled by the FSC. Again the importance of SRIF being independent of all stakeholders was thoroughly emphasised before the Standing Committee last week. Under this Bill SRIF will be controlled by FSC, which means the Corporation will dictate which new cane varieties should be given to growers for planting.
Rescuing FSC?
The Bill’s intention is to rescue FSC by turning the loans and guarantees by Government into State equity. Government currently has 68% shares in FSC. Minority shareholders own 32%. Government wants to take over all shares and compensate other shareholders by paying them the value of the share price of FSC.
Currently the FSC is technically insolvent. However FSC Executive Chairman Abdul Khan claims FSC will become profitable in 3 years because according to him by 2020 the sugar cane crop production will increase to 3.5 million tonnes and sugar production to 437,500 tonnes by ensuring 50,000 hectares of land is used for cane cultivation yielding 80 tonnes per hectare.
He says currently 47,000 hectares is used for cane cultivation. This contradicts the Ministry of Sugar, which said 42,000 hectares was currently used for cane planting while 39,000 lay idle.
Abdul Khan has been the Executive Chairman for many years. The Annual General Meeting of FSC was held for 3 years on 27th May 2015. On 29th May 2015 the Fiji Times reported Mr Khan as saying that FSC had, quote, “good reasons for not holding an AGM over the last three years and not releasing the information because at the time there was lot of to and fro in the industry and for the company as well”.
“There was talk of divestment, there was talk of share buyback, There were all sorts of talk”, Mr Khan was reported as saying. He said the Corporation wanted to protect sensitive information because “it would have compromised the position of all the shareholders, not just the majority shareholders but also minority ones”. -
Can Mr Khan inform the people of Fiji of any commercial company or statutory organisation that deliberately delays its AGM for three years because of “to and fro” talks? If FSC can deliberately delay its AGM for three years, what guarantee is that despite enslaving and controlling cane growers, it will be able to achieve its targets in 2020?
The answer is a simple NO. Even it would not have happened if the FSC had announced its targets before TC Winston devastated the sugar industry in North Western Viti Levu. This is evident from the industry’s cane and sugar production figures of the last 9 years until 2015 – 8 of which were under the military regime and Bainimarama government.
If Mr Khan’s statistic that currently 47,000 hectares of land is under sugar cane crop then currently only 39.14 tonnes of cane is produced per hectare. Therefore his bold announcement of an 80 tonnes per hectare from 50,000 hectares of land by 2020 is simply unachievable especially if growers are forced to endure another Girmit under Bill No. 19. FSC also produces cane. Can Mr Khan reveal what is the average tonnage per hectare on FSC farms?
The other issue is whether the minority shareholders who have 32% stake in FSC were consulted before this Bill was tabled in Parliament. Was the Board of FSC aware of this Bill? Were the Sugar Industry Tribunal, Sugar Cane Growers Council and Sugar Research Institute of Fiji aware that their independence was being eroded via a Bill?
The devastating impact of the 2006 coup on the sugar industry
The fallout from the 2006 military coup has been devastating for the sugar industry and the livelihood of growers.
This has been through now what has become a reality, the total loss of the $350 million grant to the sugar industry over a period of 7 years from 2006 to 2013.
A sum of $275 million was allocated for the program known as Sugar Adaptation Strategy. The FCGA believes a sum of $8.9 million was given from the 2006 program. But this was primarily to industry institutions like the Sugar Research Institute, not for direct assistance to growers.
This grant has been lost. It was aimed at economic diversification in the sugar sector and to provide assistance for social impact mitigation measures for displaced growers who could not meet their increased cane production targets.
If the coup hadn’t destroyed democracy, Fiji could have now been producing around 4 million tonnes of cane and manufacturing around 400,000 tonnes of sugar. The sugar industry would have been salvaged had the military regime fulfilled its commitment to hold elections by March 2009.
Fiji and the cane growers are poorer for the loss of the EU grant.
Industry in death throes
These Bills will kill the sugar industry. After the coup in December 2006 the military government started interfering with the industry. As a result cane production has declined by almost 50%. Sugar production has declined by almost 100,000 tonnes as revealed by the official figures in our submission.
At a time when growers are trying to recover from the effects of TC Winston, Government must direct all efforts towards helping them. Instead it is sending them back into Girmit 100 years after the arrival of the last indentured labourers in 1916.
The bottom line is cane growers are being stripped of all their rights just to save FSC. The Fiji First government has confirmed through this Bill that growers are sacrificial lambs.
Conclusion
We reject these Bills outright and request the Committee to do the only sensible thing and that is to recommend that these be shelved.
These Bills will debilitate cane growers, making cane growing totally unprofitable and pushing growers into debt in perpetuity.
Government claims reforms implemented by it both before and after the elections have revived the industry. Nothing can be further from the truth.
Cane farming has become a non-profitable business for at least 70% of growers who produce only 30% of the total cane crop while 30% of growers produce 70% of the crop. For 2013 season growers received the highest payment of a little less than $89 per tonne. If one removes the cost of production, harvesting and delivery of cane of $45 per tonne, the nett income that growers get from a tonne of cane is $44.
70 percent of growers produce an average of 150 tonnes of cane. About 12,872 are active growers. That leaves 9000 growers in this category.
Their net income at $44 by 150 tonnes is $6,600 in a season. This is $9,400 below the tax threshold of $16,000. No other commercial business can survive on this.
The sugar industry statistics prove that the industry is plummeting. The only improvement has been in the area of TCTS (Tonnes of cane required to make a tonne of sugar). It must be emphasised that this was through a $85 million mill upgrade program through a soft loan from the Exim Bank of India, negotiated in late 2005 by the deposed government before the military coup. The military regime and this Government benefited from this.
The Prime Minister has repeatedly rejected calls for a bi-partisan approach to find solutions to revive the industry through a parliamentary select committee on sugar. Such a committee has always been in existence throughout our history of parliamentary democracy but is sorely absent this time around. The positive impact of such a Committee can be evidenced from the fact that bipartisanship resulted in the Sugar Industry Act, resulting in prosperity of growers and economic advancement of the nation.
However, this Government’s reforms, which it arbitrarily imposed is not working. And given such a scenario, it is only prudent that a collective approach is made to find solutions before it is too late.
The establishment of a parliamentary select committee on sugar and the democratization of the SCGC would be an ideal start for the instilling of confidence in cane growers.
Also the Sugar Ministry has been a separate portfolio in all governments since Independence. But here we see that the Prime Minister is responsible for Sugar. But at the same time the PM’s devotion of time towards the industry is limited because of his hectic schedule and overseas travel. For Government to do justice, Sugar must have a separate ministry.
A feeling of disenchantment is undoubtedly being felt by the growers, their families, the cane cutters, lorry operators, lorry drivers, labourers and farm hands. This Bill is the biggest disincentive for a segment of Fiji’s population who have sacrificed their livelihood and triumphant days to ensure the sugar industry remained the lifeblood of Fiji’s economy for over a 100 years.
We re-iterate that the Sugar Industry Act must be retained. We demand that the structure of Sugar Cane Growers Council that existed before the military coup must be retained and not controlled by Government. Growers through the SCGC must have a say in the marketing of sugar and other matters of importance that affect their livelihood.
If these Bill is not shelved, then Government should expect more growers to exit the sugar industry and a sharp decline in cane production because of enslavement of growers.
Attar Singh Bala Dass
President General Secretary
Explosive e-mail exchanges blow open the rift following Prasad's sacking as Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman:
SODELPA MP and PAC Member, Aseri Radrodro:
"On Biman’s stance, I can only say that in my view, his resignation was his own making. After all I was left to wonder why he was so insistent on being Chair of PAC, and would not be content to just serve...someone should ask Biman and those like-minded like him to bring concrete evidences to back their claims and not just refer to what a third party says as the gospel truth...
"One only has to look at the verbatim of our meetings on the Ministerial salary issue e.g. to note my line of questionings and his! The evidences speak for themselves!!!!!! Watering down big time.
"As for the non-voting, Biman presided over the meeting and we performed accordingly to what we had discussed prior to coming to the PAC meeting."
"Needless to say I felt quite betrayed and let down by my party members who had in my mind colluded for me to be taken to task publicly and diverting the attention from Biman resigning, but who seemed to have taken Biman’s side over that of their own colleague and fellow party MP."
"However since this email has finally emerged and the Judas statements by Tomasi [Vakatora] I will be forced to briefly state my facts. I only wish Tomasi has some manhood to ask me this concerns in my face" -
Radrodro
"I will ask you in person or in your face Aseri when I meet you. There is nothing to fear and manhood does not come into it...Can we afford to have Judases amongst us if we seriously want to defeat the Bainimarama Government at the next election?...This is certainly not the end of the matter. Nothing has been cleared. The formal complaint against Aseri Radrodro including documentary evidence like the minutes of the Parliamentary Business Committee where Aiyaz Khaiyum revealed his discussions with Aseri should be investigated and appropriate action should be taken. There should be no attempt at cover-up otherwise SODELPA is just as bad or even worse than Fiji First. We are making allegations against them yet we practice the same set of standards. I have been aware of the allegation since the end of last year but have chosen to remain quiet because a process was supposed to be taking place but up to now nothing has happened. Dr Biman Prasad has now revealed in public what he knows as he is also a member of the Business Committee. This means that I can also talk about. I will ask you in person or in your face Aseri when I meet you. There is nothing to fear and manhood does not come into it." - Tomasi Vakatora
SODELPA MP Aseri Radrodro, PAC Member:
"Earlier this afternoon, whilst en route back from a funeral in Tailevu, I received a call from the media, requesting for a comment on the allegations by Biman Prasad over what appeared in the Fiji village news. My reaction to them was that I was not going to engage in any mudslinging with Biman as a fellow PAC appointee from the Opposition side. However since this email has finally emerged and the Judas statements by Tomasi [Vakatora] I will be forced to briefly state my facts.
I only wish Tomasi has some manhood to ask me this concerns in my face. Yesterday, my refusal to make any comments towards the allegations to the media during Biman’s press conference, was because I was quite furious in the way I was ambushed by Biman in front of the media.
"In fact, I was conversing with an Opposition staff when Laufitu Malani, walked to me and handed me her mobile phone saying that the Opposition Leader wanted to speak to me. I so then spoke to the LOP, and she asked that I join Biman at the press conference that was already underway in the conference room, to lend him my support. I agreed, as the PAC meeting by then had been adjourned.
Upon my entry into the Conference room, Biman immediately informed the media that I had complained to Government about him as Chair of PAC, and stated that the AG had quoted me saying so at an earlier meeting or something of that sort.
Biman then invited the media to obtain my comments in that respect. Because I was sent in the way I was I had to limit myself from giving in to a very strong urge to be confrontational with him, and so the best action to take at that time, was to bite my tongue and adopt a no comment stance instead of walking out of the room.
Needless to say I felt quite betrayed and letdown by my party members who had in my mind colluded for me to be taken to task publicly and diverting the attention from Biman resigning, but who seemed to have taken Biman’s side over that of their own colleague and fellow party MP.
Anyway, this matter was indeed brought up earlier by Mick Beddoes to the Investigation Team led by Emitai Boladuadua in the course of investigating the Gaunavinaka report last year. I had met with the committee then and informed them of the truth of what really had transpired, and gave them correspondences to that effect.
So, in this instance, I will suggest strongly that the Investigation team, brief those who wish to know what the outcome of the allegations against me was. As that will be to everyone’s best interest.
As for the non-voting, Biman presided over the meeting and we performed accordingly to what we had discussed prior to coming to the PAC meeting.
On Biman’s stance, I can only say that in my view, his resignation was his own making. After all I was left to wonder why he was so insistent on being Chair of PAC, and would not be content to just serve.
Kari bagi e via draiva tiko la ni basi ni Waiqele o tamana… tovolea mada nai dabedabe ni pasidia talega.
One thing that PAC has not been able to resolve is the Ministerial Salaries payment from a private company, for example when this were issues we had campaigned on during elections. So what has changed? After all, he has always been media cocky, yet to date, this matter in particular has been far from resolved, and nor has other pertinent issues in the OAG report.
One only has to look at the verbatim of our meetings on the Ministerial salary issue e.g. to note my line of questionings and his! The evidences speak for themselves!!!!!! Watering down big time.
I rest my case therefore and suggest that someone should ask Biman and those like-minded like him to bring concrete evidences to back their claims and not just refer to what a third party says as the gospel truth.
Have a Blessed day
AMR
"I understand that a formal complaint against Aseri Radrodro was lodged towards the end of last year at the time allegations in the so called Gaunavinaka Report was being investigated by the Disciplinary Committee headed by Emitai Boladuadua. The substance of that complaint is the same as what Biman Prasad had revealed in the story in Fiji Village yesterday. Could the President, the Vice-Presidents (who now seem to want to speak to the news media ) or General Secretary tell us why nothing has been done about the complaint? Can we afford to have Judases amongst us if we seriously want to defeat the Bainimarama Government at the next election? Tom [Tomasi Vakatora]
["It is unfortunate that the term Judases has been used in the query raised in this email. May I remind all that one of the most sacred principles of law is the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. It is also regarded as an international human right under the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights per article 11. Au sa kerea yani vakabibi vei kemuni na turaga kei na marama, meda veiwasei ena yalovinaka kei na rai e savasava ena vuku ni noda i soqosoqo. If you have issues against another party member or any of the authorised officers of the Party, etc. may I suggest that you raise your concerns with the General Secretary rather than discussing such issue via email forums such as this."
L.Q.Q. GS [Adi Litia Qionibaravi, Sodelpa General Secretary]
He hid his family's MIDLIFE INVESTMENTS LTD file (ordered ROC to hide it) from Fijileaks for several months but is NOW ordering the Fiji Times to release the recordings of what his pet Masoor Goonda Boy ASHNEEL SUDHAKAR said (or not said) in the interview on the question of Civil Service jobs. He had also refused to take any action against the MASOOR GOONDA when Fijileaks founding editor-in-chief VICTOR LAL had lodged an official complaint to him as FFP general secretary, calling upon him to sack Sudhakar after his GOONDA BOY had threatened to 'mortein' Victor Lal and other "cockroaches". He also blocked the Fijian Police from taking any legal action against Ba businessman Jay Dayal and Goonda Sudhakar over the FACEBOOK postings that had called for the cold-blooded murder of Victor Lal, whether on the streets of Oxford or in London. But look at Fiji's Idi Amin Dada threatening the Fiji Times, AGAIN:
TWO RULES: One for the ordinary and another for Government Whip, PAC chair, and chairman of Law, Human Rights & Justice Committee
SODELPA Vice President, Ro Kini Kiliraki said, “True democracy will never survive under the 2013 constitution irrespective of how hard we try – it is simply non-existent to a certain extent. If it does survive it does so in preference or pretext, otherwise it is simply dead in Fiji”.
This is after government members in the PAC elected Hon. Ashneel Sudhakar to replace Dr. Biman Prasad in chairing the PAC and another government MP to be Deputy Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee.
“There could have been some reservations from within Sodelpa on the initial appointment of Dr. Biman Prasad, however, that is part of keeping democracy alive given there are two parties in the opposition, trying to find a common footing on policy matters etc etc“
As we have demonstrated in the past, the two parties in the opposition have agreed to disagree on many issues which have been reflected in the House, however it does not take away the desire by the opposition to fight for true democracy for the people” Ro Kiliraki said.
In voting out Dr. Biman Prasad today the Opposition members in the Committee will no longer control the proper and thorough scrutiny of how government utilized taxpayer’s money in this country. The highest accountable practice in this country has always been the appointment oa member of Opposition to Chair the Public Accounts Committee.
In other words, government now becomes the judge and jury over its own carefree attitude and blatant disregard for the financial rules enacted to guide the proper use of taxpayers’ money in the governance of this nation. “Government loves to brag about merit, honesty and transparency. The many statements of FijiFirst do not reflect what they say or do in practice, evidenced by this latest desire after only one year of their imposed democracy, the wresting back of control of the PAC and amendments to the Standing Orders to limit questions and debate in Parliament, the legislative arm. The three arms of Government are designed to check and balance each other, yet here Parliament is being further muzzled.”
The Vice President has called on international agencies and governments to speak up against the appointments that were made today. It is part and parcel of a constitutional blunder orchestrated to benefit a Fiji First government or any other future government with majority seats in parliament.
Even though government has acted in accordance with the changes made to the Standing Orders in the February sitting of Parliament this year, the fact remains that government used its numbers to make these changes which are an affront against the grain of mutual relationship and respect which should be one of the cornerstones of a democratic Parliament. The action taken by government today equally denies the rights of all Fiji citizens to a transparent auditing process of their tax and contributions.
Government’s decision to place on their own members the leadership positions in the Committee is also a slur on the proposed Code of Conduct Bill which is in the pipeline for tabling in Parliament soon. Ethics or conscience is a major part of the Code of Conduct bill. “Where is the ethical principles of government in the two appointments?”, questioned the Vice President Ro Kiliraki.
The alternative way for citizens to change this process is a vote for SODELPA in the next general election. SODELPA being the most media scrutinized party and advocator of accountability and transparency will ensure the composition of the PAC committee is fair and the position of chairman remains with the opposition.
SODELPA VP on “Civil Service Jobs” VP Ro Kiliraki also commented on the Fiji Times headline today, titled “Civil Service Jobs to be re-advertised, Intake on merit”.
“Where is this country heading to?”, Ro Kiliraki questioned. Nepotism has been the order of the day in this country since the coup in 2006. Coups breed nepotism and favoritism affecting civil servants and qualified citizens and government should catalogue all instances of nepotism by the Frank-led government both in the Civil service including the Disciplinary Services and in government-owned companies and statutory bodies and should begin with appointments of the Prime Ministers relatives, e.g. his brother-in-law Francis Kean a former senior military officer was retained on full pay as Navy Commander in prison and then promoted as Permanent Secretary for Infrastructure, after being convicted of manslaughter and pre-maturely released and now the same person has been promoted as the Commissioner of Prisons. There is also the appointment of Meleti Bainimarama, the Prime Minister’s own brother, first as Commissioner Central, then, and now as a Permanent Secretary for Regional Development. We also know his daughter Litiana Bainimarama is CEO for the Fiji Sports Council.
“Where were all these people prior to the Bainimarama government? What were their positions then, and what extraordinary qualifications have they attained suddenly to enable them the positions they now hold?”
The catalogue should also include all appointments to company boards and those taking positions of Executive Director. Some have been in these positions for many years. How much have they been paid? “Surely Fiji’s pool of human resources should be able to identify people with professional qualifications and experience to take up such positions and ensure the separation of the role of the Chief Executive Officer from the Chairperson of the Board.
AUTHORISED BY:
RO KINI KILIRAKI
VICE PRESIDENT
SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC LIBERAL PARTY
This is after government members in the PAC elected Hon. Ashneel Sudhakar to replace Dr. Biman Prasad in chairing the PAC and another government MP to be Deputy Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee.
“There could have been some reservations from within Sodelpa on the initial appointment of Dr. Biman Prasad, however, that is part of keeping democracy alive given there are two parties in the opposition, trying to find a common footing on policy matters etc etc“
As we have demonstrated in the past, the two parties in the opposition have agreed to disagree on many issues which have been reflected in the House, however it does not take away the desire by the opposition to fight for true democracy for the people” Ro Kiliraki said.
In voting out Dr. Biman Prasad today the Opposition members in the Committee will no longer control the proper and thorough scrutiny of how government utilized taxpayer’s money in this country. The highest accountable practice in this country has always been the appointment oa member of Opposition to Chair the Public Accounts Committee.
In other words, government now becomes the judge and jury over its own carefree attitude and blatant disregard for the financial rules enacted to guide the proper use of taxpayers’ money in the governance of this nation. “Government loves to brag about merit, honesty and transparency. The many statements of FijiFirst do not reflect what they say or do in practice, evidenced by this latest desire after only one year of their imposed democracy, the wresting back of control of the PAC and amendments to the Standing Orders to limit questions and debate in Parliament, the legislative arm. The three arms of Government are designed to check and balance each other, yet here Parliament is being further muzzled.”
The Vice President has called on international agencies and governments to speak up against the appointments that were made today. It is part and parcel of a constitutional blunder orchestrated to benefit a Fiji First government or any other future government with majority seats in parliament.
Even though government has acted in accordance with the changes made to the Standing Orders in the February sitting of Parliament this year, the fact remains that government used its numbers to make these changes which are an affront against the grain of mutual relationship and respect which should be one of the cornerstones of a democratic Parliament. The action taken by government today equally denies the rights of all Fiji citizens to a transparent auditing process of their tax and contributions.
Government’s decision to place on their own members the leadership positions in the Committee is also a slur on the proposed Code of Conduct Bill which is in the pipeline for tabling in Parliament soon. Ethics or conscience is a major part of the Code of Conduct bill. “Where is the ethical principles of government in the two appointments?”, questioned the Vice President Ro Kiliraki.
The alternative way for citizens to change this process is a vote for SODELPA in the next general election. SODELPA being the most media scrutinized party and advocator of accountability and transparency will ensure the composition of the PAC committee is fair and the position of chairman remains with the opposition.
SODELPA VP on “Civil Service Jobs” VP Ro Kiliraki also commented on the Fiji Times headline today, titled “Civil Service Jobs to be re-advertised, Intake on merit”.
“Where is this country heading to?”, Ro Kiliraki questioned. Nepotism has been the order of the day in this country since the coup in 2006. Coups breed nepotism and favoritism affecting civil servants and qualified citizens and government should catalogue all instances of nepotism by the Frank-led government both in the Civil service including the Disciplinary Services and in government-owned companies and statutory bodies and should begin with appointments of the Prime Ministers relatives, e.g. his brother-in-law Francis Kean a former senior military officer was retained on full pay as Navy Commander in prison and then promoted as Permanent Secretary for Infrastructure, after being convicted of manslaughter and pre-maturely released and now the same person has been promoted as the Commissioner of Prisons. There is also the appointment of Meleti Bainimarama, the Prime Minister’s own brother, first as Commissioner Central, then, and now as a Permanent Secretary for Regional Development. We also know his daughter Litiana Bainimarama is CEO for the Fiji Sports Council.
“Where were all these people prior to the Bainimarama government? What were their positions then, and what extraordinary qualifications have they attained suddenly to enable them the positions they now hold?”
The catalogue should also include all appointments to company boards and those taking positions of Executive Director. Some have been in these positions for many years. How much have they been paid? “Surely Fiji’s pool of human resources should be able to identify people with professional qualifications and experience to take up such positions and ensure the separation of the role of the Chief Executive Officer from the Chairperson of the Board.
AUTHORISED BY:
RO KINI KILIRAKI
VICE PRESIDENT
SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC LIBERAL PARTY
By Professor Wadan Narsey
Gutting the Public Accounts Committee: A Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chaired by Government
The PAC is supposed to scrutinize the Government’s expenditure, and to ensure that it is as approved in the annual budgets.
It is commonsense that the Opposition Parties have the majority in this committee, and chair it so that the scrutiny can be meaningful.
News at hand is that the FFP Government, by forcing through changes in Standing Orders, has now ensured that its own FFP MP, Ashneel Sudhakar, will chair the PAC, replacing Opposition MP, Professor Biman Prasad.
This is like asking a gang of potential criminals to appoint the judge who will adjudicate on whether crimes have been committed by the gang or any of their members or accomplices.
How utterly ridiculous, but expected by me, a few months ago.
Read here:
https://narseyonfiji.wordpress.com/2016/02/21/the-costs-of-compromise-a-parliamentary-farce-21-february-2016/
You can be absolutely sure now that all questions asked by the Auditor General’s Office about inflated ministerial salaries paid in 2010, 2011 and 2012 through the private accounting company of Nur Bano Ali, will be ignored.
You can be sure that all the questions asked by the Auditor General’s Office about the hundred million dollars and more unaccounted for by the Prime Minister’s Office, will also be pushed under the carpet.
Crime apparently pays, and pays handsomely in the Fiji controlled by Bainimarama and Khaiyum.
While the people slumber.
Gutting the Public Accounts Committee: A Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chaired by Government
The PAC is supposed to scrutinize the Government’s expenditure, and to ensure that it is as approved in the annual budgets.
It is commonsense that the Opposition Parties have the majority in this committee, and chair it so that the scrutiny can be meaningful.
News at hand is that the FFP Government, by forcing through changes in Standing Orders, has now ensured that its own FFP MP, Ashneel Sudhakar, will chair the PAC, replacing Opposition MP, Professor Biman Prasad.
This is like asking a gang of potential criminals to appoint the judge who will adjudicate on whether crimes have been committed by the gang or any of their members or accomplices.
How utterly ridiculous, but expected by me, a few months ago.
Read here:
https://narseyonfiji.wordpress.com/2016/02/21/the-costs-of-compromise-a-parliamentary-farce-21-february-2016/
You can be absolutely sure now that all questions asked by the Auditor General’s Office about inflated ministerial salaries paid in 2010, 2011 and 2012 through the private accounting company of Nur Bano Ali, will be ignored.
You can be sure that all the questions asked by the Auditor General’s Office about the hundred million dollars and more unaccounted for by the Prime Minister’s Office, will also be pushed under the carpet.
Crime apparently pays, and pays handsomely in the Fiji controlled by Bainimarama and Khaiyum.
While the people slumber.
Source: Fiji TV One News
Prime Fiji Limited which was awarded a 7 million dollar contract for the construction of street lights is now under investigation for fraudulent payments. Contracted under the Fiji Roads Authority, the Australian based company is alleged to have made fraudulent bond payments.
The performance bond is a payment Prime Fiji Limited was obliged to pay for the two contract tenders it won.
With the first of the tenders awarded, a village and rural street lighting contract of 2 point 2 million dollars, Prime Fiji Limited had to make a performance bond payment of 220 thousand dollars.
The second, a 3 point 5 million dollar contract, required a performance bond payment of 351 thousand dollars.
“It was discovered in the email that was sent saying this completes the documentation and what was discovered was that the bonds themselves were not necessarily proper bonds. They were actually fraudulent bonds,” said the Attorney General, Aiyaz-Sayed Khaiyum.
“We go through a series of checks on this. These contracts had actually been financed and were to be funded through the ADB financing as an actual layer of checking in there as well. So we go through a diligent period in which we check the authenticity of the bonds and we found in this case that they raise suspicious and this was pretty much the very first hurdle that we pick this up and as a consequence we raised this issue with Westpac Bank and they questioned for us the authenticity of the bonds and apparently they were fraudulent,” said Rory Garland, FRA acting chief executive officer.
The contract Prime Fiji Limited also holds for the maintenance of street lights around the country is on hold as well. “We have a security bond on those contracts so we got effectively money in the bank for any we can recall back if there is against that over payment. In addition we are almost holding at least one month’s payment because it takes that long to process. We are always covered either through the bond, retention or the payment that is due to cover this kind of events,” added Garland.
Prime Fiji Limited which was awarded a 7 million dollar contract for the construction of street lights is now under investigation for fraudulent payments. Contracted under the Fiji Roads Authority, the Australian based company is alleged to have made fraudulent bond payments.
The performance bond is a payment Prime Fiji Limited was obliged to pay for the two contract tenders it won.
With the first of the tenders awarded, a village and rural street lighting contract of 2 point 2 million dollars, Prime Fiji Limited had to make a performance bond payment of 220 thousand dollars.
The second, a 3 point 5 million dollar contract, required a performance bond payment of 351 thousand dollars.
“It was discovered in the email that was sent saying this completes the documentation and what was discovered was that the bonds themselves were not necessarily proper bonds. They were actually fraudulent bonds,” said the Attorney General, Aiyaz-Sayed Khaiyum.
“We go through a series of checks on this. These contracts had actually been financed and were to be funded through the ADB financing as an actual layer of checking in there as well. So we go through a diligent period in which we check the authenticity of the bonds and we found in this case that they raise suspicious and this was pretty much the very first hurdle that we pick this up and as a consequence we raised this issue with Westpac Bank and they questioned for us the authenticity of the bonds and apparently they were fraudulent,” said Rory Garland, FRA acting chief executive officer.
The contract Prime Fiji Limited also holds for the maintenance of street lights around the country is on hold as well. “We have a security bond on those contracts so we got effectively money in the bank for any we can recall back if there is against that over payment. In addition we are almost holding at least one month’s payment because it takes that long to process. We are always covered either through the bond, retention or the payment that is due to cover this kind of events,” added Garland.
PRIME TIME FOR FRAUDSTERS TO FOLLOW FFP WHICH HAS SHONE THE LIGHT ON "THE ART OF CONNING AND WINNING IN NEW FIJI"
From Fijivillage News: FRA board member, Sanjay Kaba said they will also look at other contracts held by the Australian company. Prime Fiji holds another contract for general street light maintenance. Kaba said they will also have a board meeting next week to discuss some overpayments to Prime Fiji for some of the contracts. He said the two new contracts are now on hold and new tenders will be called soon.
Fijileaks Archive
Prime (Fiji) is 100% committed to improving Fiji’s standard of street lights and traffic signals which have previously been maintained to a very poor standard. All works carried out by Prime (Fiji) are to Australian and New Zealand standards.
Prime (Fiji) provides end-to-end solutions with a 12-month warranty and a 24/7 helpdesk to enable a fast response time to critical issues.
We are working with local supply partners on providing quality equipment and lighting standards for Fiji, and improving the life cycles of equipment.
We plan to improve the street lighting with standardised light fittings and wattage and to look at a more sustainable future for lighting and maintenance. We are also upgrading the traffic signals systems – Fiji Roads Authority has approved the upgrade of the SCATS systems which is a computer-based control system to better automate and alert faults across the traffic signal network.
Our plan is to equip our local staff and enable them to find their true potential through specialised training and by introducing industry best practices. We will continue to upskill local staff as well as implementing health and safety training.
Prime (Fiji) head office is based in Suva, with a branch office in Lautoka: http://www.primefam.com.au/prime-fiji
Prime (Fiji) provides end-to-end solutions with a 12-month warranty and a 24/7 helpdesk to enable a fast response time to critical issues.
We are working with local supply partners on providing quality equipment and lighting standards for Fiji, and improving the life cycles of equipment.
We plan to improve the street lighting with standardised light fittings and wattage and to look at a more sustainable future for lighting and maintenance. We are also upgrading the traffic signals systems – Fiji Roads Authority has approved the upgrade of the SCATS systems which is a computer-based control system to better automate and alert faults across the traffic signal network.
Our plan is to equip our local staff and enable them to find their true potential through specialised training and by introducing industry best practices. We will continue to upskill local staff as well as implementing health and safety training.
Prime (Fiji) head office is based in Suva, with a branch office in Lautoka: http://www.primefam.com.au/prime-fiji
editor@fijileaks.com
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