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"In a meeting at Baigan Vanua in Labasa, Singh had questioned the misuse of some $80 million hurricane funds, the principal beneficiaries of which were some of the leading building merchants of the country. He had not named any. Singh had barely finished his speech, when Daksesh Patel called and attacked him for his comments including some highly offensive personal comments. In the last sitting of Parliament only a few weeks ago, the DPM Biman Prasad confirmed the massive wastages, corruption and pilferages that took place under the Fiji First and specifically referred to the hurricane/ flood scams.
1. Is it humanly possible for somebody with such entrenched and partisan support of the previous economic and social agenda to change their views and suddenly transform into a passionate apostle of the new Coalition policies?
2. Can they be fully trusted to transfer their loyalties to the new govt given their years of intimate relationship with FFP?
3. Are there not enough competent and experienced people to replace these “holdovers“ of the past?" NITYA REDDY
There is widespread disquiet about the continued presence, dominance and reappointment of some key board members, who held the levers of power under the previous Fiji First Government.
Whilst, not advocating for a wholesale purge of the statutory boards, there is, however, many valid questions surrounding the suitability of some of these people. Continuity, expertise and management experience are necessary but it cannot be at the expense of good governance and public confidence.
Many of them are political “holdovers“ of the Fiji First reign and avowed ideologues of the Bainimarama/ Khaiyum agenda.
One in particular who has polarised many is Daksesh Patel. In addition to his multiple existing positions, he has just been announced as the Chairperson of “Key Growth Strategies “, a powerful sub Committee of the Economic Summit to be held next week.
From that position, he will be directly involved in the affairs of the nation and be able to influence deliberations about its future economic policies. Many believe that, Patel’s baggage of the past, including his many questionable decisions at FNPF, FDB, EFL and Air Pacific should be enough to disqualify him from any such role.
Patel has form and history in the promotion and execution of the Fiji First agenda. He is widely seen as a flashpoint of resentment by those many thousands of workers who have suffered as a result of his decisions.
This is the same man who had interrupted a NFP campaign meeting of Minister Charan Singh in 2018.
In a meeting at Baigan Vanua in Labasa, Singh had questioned the misuse of some $80 million hurricane funds, the principal beneficiaries of which were some of the leading building merchants of the country. He had not named any.
Singh had barely finished his speech, when Daksesh Patel called and attacked him for his comments including some highly offensive personal comments.
In the last sitting of Parliament only a few weeks ago, the DPM Biman Prasad confirmed the massive wastages, corruption and pilferages that took place under the Fiji First and specifically referred to the hurricane/ flood scams.
1. Is it humanly possible for somebody with such entrenched and partisan support of the previous economic and social agenda to change their views and suddenly transform into a passionate apostle of the new Coalition policies?
2. Can they be fully trusted to transfer their loyalties to the new govt given their years of intimate relationship with FFP?
3. Are there not enough competent and experienced people to replace these “holdovers“ of the past?
4. What special skills and knowledge do they offer that is not available in our people?
5. Can we not manage Fiji without the shadow of these people constantly contaminating our governance?
6. Why is it that in a nation of nearly a million, we still find ourselves shackled in the tentacles of a few who call the shots for the rest of us?
7. Fiji has been an independent sovereign nation for the last 53 years. We must ask whether this sovereignty is worth anything if it is still to be a victim of “state capture” by a few.
Real freedom, justice and dignity will never be realised for the country unless and until we liberate ourselves from the dependence on these mercenaries.
Whilst, not advocating for a wholesale purge of the statutory boards, there is, however, many valid questions surrounding the suitability of some of these people. Continuity, expertise and management experience are necessary but it cannot be at the expense of good governance and public confidence.
Many of them are political “holdovers“ of the Fiji First reign and avowed ideologues of the Bainimarama/ Khaiyum agenda.
One in particular who has polarised many is Daksesh Patel. In addition to his multiple existing positions, he has just been announced as the Chairperson of “Key Growth Strategies “, a powerful sub Committee of the Economic Summit to be held next week.
From that position, he will be directly involved in the affairs of the nation and be able to influence deliberations about its future economic policies. Many believe that, Patel’s baggage of the past, including his many questionable decisions at FNPF, FDB, EFL and Air Pacific should be enough to disqualify him from any such role.
Patel has form and history in the promotion and execution of the Fiji First agenda. He is widely seen as a flashpoint of resentment by those many thousands of workers who have suffered as a result of his decisions.
This is the same man who had interrupted a NFP campaign meeting of Minister Charan Singh in 2018.
In a meeting at Baigan Vanua in Labasa, Singh had questioned the misuse of some $80 million hurricane funds, the principal beneficiaries of which were some of the leading building merchants of the country. He had not named any.
Singh had barely finished his speech, when Daksesh Patel called and attacked him for his comments including some highly offensive personal comments.
In the last sitting of Parliament only a few weeks ago, the DPM Biman Prasad confirmed the massive wastages, corruption and pilferages that took place under the Fiji First and specifically referred to the hurricane/ flood scams.
1. Is it humanly possible for somebody with such entrenched and partisan support of the previous economic and social agenda to change their views and suddenly transform into a passionate apostle of the new Coalition policies?
2. Can they be fully trusted to transfer their loyalties to the new govt given their years of intimate relationship with FFP?
3. Are there not enough competent and experienced people to replace these “holdovers“ of the past?
4. What special skills and knowledge do they offer that is not available in our people?
5. Can we not manage Fiji without the shadow of these people constantly contaminating our governance?
6. Why is it that in a nation of nearly a million, we still find ourselves shackled in the tentacles of a few who call the shots for the rest of us?
7. Fiji has been an independent sovereign nation for the last 53 years. We must ask whether this sovereignty is worth anything if it is still to be a victim of “state capture” by a few.
Real freedom, justice and dignity will never be realised for the country unless and until we liberate ourselves from the dependence on these mercenaries.
BIZARRE RANT FROM ANOTHER SUMMIT ATTENDEE, GANESH CHAND
Dear Mr. [Officer from Government who invited me],
As advised earlier I have kindly accepted your invitation to participate in the National Economic Summit.
However, I kindly decline the offer of $80 for travel expenses from Lautoka to Suva, as well as the accommodation for 2 nites @ the Peninsula.
Please also note: I humbly decline to partake in any tea/coffee/snacks/lunch/dinner layouts, and have opted to bring my own. Please ensure that your catering order reflects one less person to be catered for, for this. I shall keep the Government auditor alerted of it come the audit time.
Likewise, I decline to consume any wine/beer/alcohol during the cocktail or consume any finger food; I shall bring my own wine or beers, as suits my mood then, and my own bean-peanut. Likewise, please ensure that your catering order reflects this.
Can you please also make arrangements with the local police etc., to allow me to carry my own snacks, eats and drinks.
Please be alerted: I shall be making a lot of interventions and fruitful contributions.
I, thus, need your advise: I intend not to use the PA system, which you would be paying from taxpayer funds; instead I will use my natural voice. I am trying to locate my 24-year old amplifier - Bhopa they call it in Hindi - which I had purchased for election campaigns in 1999 and 2001. In case I can find it and power it up, I may bring that in so that my own sound system carries my voice well. On this, I know that the sessions will be live online. So listening is not a problem. BUT can you advise me please also on how would you arrange to carry my voice to the other 499 participants, as I intend not to use the tax-payer funded GPH space; would you be able to arrange a government owned desk and chair outside, in Albert Park possibly, from where I can make my contributions. If it rains, I will have my umbrella handy.
This is all in the interest of tax-payers like your panelist Save Narube and invitees, MPC and the Fiji First supporters who, I am sure, will be amply present in the Summit.
Oh, one final matter: Since I wont be using any of the tax-payer paid facilities and provisions, how do you intend to remunerate me for my intellectual contributions to building a better Fiji. I can assure you that the quality of my contributions will be far superior to the combined brain power of the vocal custodians of taxpayer money like Save, MPC and their trolls. Do I invoice you at the rate at which Fiji companies with offices abroad have been charging management fee to their parent companies in Fiji? Or should this be at the rate at which Government pays foreign consultants without any blink of an eye by the vocal public custodians of public finance? I do recognise that after billions were literally siphoned out from Government through shady deals by the previous regime (on which those who are vocal critics now of the summit costs remained silent), Fiji has a financial crisis, and that the Hon. DPM/MF has to walk extra miles to bring Fiji back to normal. In light of this crisis, and as a person with Fiji dear to his heart, do I massively discount my invoice to the level which is comparable to the value of the contributions to Fiji's development by the Summit cost critics?
Your advice would be most appreciated.
Kind Regards.
Ganesh Chand
As advised earlier I have kindly accepted your invitation to participate in the National Economic Summit.
However, I kindly decline the offer of $80 for travel expenses from Lautoka to Suva, as well as the accommodation for 2 nites @ the Peninsula.
Please also note: I humbly decline to partake in any tea/coffee/snacks/lunch/dinner layouts, and have opted to bring my own. Please ensure that your catering order reflects one less person to be catered for, for this. I shall keep the Government auditor alerted of it come the audit time.
Likewise, I decline to consume any wine/beer/alcohol during the cocktail or consume any finger food; I shall bring my own wine or beers, as suits my mood then, and my own bean-peanut. Likewise, please ensure that your catering order reflects this.
Can you please also make arrangements with the local police etc., to allow me to carry my own snacks, eats and drinks.
Please be alerted: I shall be making a lot of interventions and fruitful contributions.
I, thus, need your advise: I intend not to use the PA system, which you would be paying from taxpayer funds; instead I will use my natural voice. I am trying to locate my 24-year old amplifier - Bhopa they call it in Hindi - which I had purchased for election campaigns in 1999 and 2001. In case I can find it and power it up, I may bring that in so that my own sound system carries my voice well. On this, I know that the sessions will be live online. So listening is not a problem. BUT can you advise me please also on how would you arrange to carry my voice to the other 499 participants, as I intend not to use the tax-payer funded GPH space; would you be able to arrange a government owned desk and chair outside, in Albert Park possibly, from where I can make my contributions. If it rains, I will have my umbrella handy.
This is all in the interest of tax-payers like your panelist Save Narube and invitees, MPC and the Fiji First supporters who, I am sure, will be amply present in the Summit.
Oh, one final matter: Since I wont be using any of the tax-payer paid facilities and provisions, how do you intend to remunerate me for my intellectual contributions to building a better Fiji. I can assure you that the quality of my contributions will be far superior to the combined brain power of the vocal custodians of taxpayer money like Save, MPC and their trolls. Do I invoice you at the rate at which Fiji companies with offices abroad have been charging management fee to their parent companies in Fiji? Or should this be at the rate at which Government pays foreign consultants without any blink of an eye by the vocal public custodians of public finance? I do recognise that after billions were literally siphoned out from Government through shady deals by the previous regime (on which those who are vocal critics now of the summit costs remained silent), Fiji has a financial crisis, and that the Hon. DPM/MF has to walk extra miles to bring Fiji back to normal. In light of this crisis, and as a person with Fiji dear to his heart, do I massively discount my invoice to the level which is comparable to the value of the contributions to Fiji's development by the Summit cost critics?
Your advice would be most appreciated.
Kind Regards.
Ganesh Chand
Fijileaks: The Principal Witness in Chand's Abuse of Office criminal case had leaked scores of documents to us that we published. As a result, Chand was charged. For some unexplained reason, the principal witness refused to return to Fiji from Australia, and testify against Chand.
From Fijileaks Archive, 8 February 2015
