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DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF TIKODUADUA'S MOUTH: NZ based businessman, the inexperienced Yogesh Punja is High Commissioner to Australia; Fijileaks told you a week ago!

14/3/2015

9 Comments

 
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Punja appointed High Commissioner to Australia

Saturday, 14/03/2015


Businessman Yogesh Punja has been appointed as Fiji High Commissioner to Australia.


Minister of Foreign Affairs Ratu Inoke Kubuabola said Punja’s vast commercial background and skills will add much value to the work of the Ministry. He said his appointment demonstrates Government's commitment towards renewing and strengthening the bilateral relation between Fiji and Australia.

Kubuabola said the Ministry is confident that Punja will enhance Fiji's foreign policy interests in its relations with Australia. He highlighted that Punja’s experience includes leading the popular Punjas Group of Companies at its New Zealand operations. Punja will take up his posting in Canberra next month. Source: Fijivillage News
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"It is a pity to see that the Fiji Government has appointed Yogesh Punja as the High Commissioner to Australia. At this time of Fiji's relations or re-engagement with Australia, Fiji needs a seasoned, astute and professional diplomat with solid background in international and regional issues, an understanding of Australians and Australian Foreign Policy. We need a technocrat and not a "favorite" son with questionable past. We need someone with good negotiation skills. You could not even argue that we need someone with skills in promoting trade as Fiji-Australia relations in trade and tourism has been on auto pilot now for sometime and even survived coups. We have had such long historical relations in trade, investment and commerce with Australia since Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR), Burns Philp and Morris Hedstrom days and Australians don't need to be attracted to invest or engage with trade in Fiji. They know Fiji and have traditionally watched opportunities in Fiji. Even if it was trade relations for which Punja was appointed, Punja does not have any experience in trade policy which is a very complex area. If we are looking for a bilateral free trade arrangement with Australia or a trilateral Fiji-ANZ free trade arrangement which Fiji prefers to a regional free trade arrangement involving all PICs and ANZ, one needs a different set of skills from Punja types.Yogesh Punja knows how to make money for his family business. He has commercial experience and in a family business environment. He does not necessarily understand multi-nationals. We have missed a great opportunity to build a more mature relationship with a very sophisticated neighbour. This shows that in spite of huff and a puff, we still do not understand Australia at all when we make appointments like that. It goes to show how naive and simplistic our regional foreign policy is. We wonder if Rupika Nandan, Special Adviser to Foreign Minister Kubuabola, had a hand in the selection - remember the Lodhia connection!"


9 Comments
Trade and Upgrade
14/3/2015 03:20:17 am

Punjas is a proven brand, if the man can use his families vast business acumen to increase trade between the two countries than so be it.

The two areas of particular focus should be the ailing sugar industry, Australia our neighbours has a huge sugar industry.The second may well be the manufacturing sector,now lot of these industries is shifted from Australia to China and if Fiji can lure just a tiny percentage will work wonders in increasing GDP.

So perhaps the appointment of Mr Punja may well be beneficial for the Fijian economy.

Reply
Yep
14/3/2015 04:47:21 am

Fijileaks was spot on in its prediction about yourgas Punja's appointment. Yep, it's a case of paisa fekho tamasa dekho.

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Naivalurua to China
14/3/2015 05:37:25 am

Now with Fijileaks revealing him to be the man in balaclava in 1987 coup,the man should come clean

With China's global reach and influence on global stage we should appoint or recommend a person with lot of integrity.

Reply
Roko
14/3/2015 04:34:55 pm

Re Naivalurua

His well-known role in the sordid events of 14 May 1987 will remain an indelible stain on this man's reputation. It will haunt him wherever he goes.


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And
14/3/2015 04:42:58 pm

If I were a rich man da da dee dee dum... And Your Gas Punja is a rich man...

Reply
So
14/3/2015 05:14:18 pm

So this Naivalurua falla who was a military thug in the 1987 military coup is now an " honourable man " !,
How many more such " Honourables " around after evading justice for the crimes they committed then?

Reply
Respect & Reject
14/3/2015 06:41:01 pm

Should Fiji go ahead and insult CHINESE Intelligence by appointing Naivalurua than the Mainland should reject him outright.

CHINA has contributed millions into Fijian Economy, they need not be insulted.

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kubobola and Naivalarua
14/3/2015 06:45:31 pm

He along with Rt Inoke K were elders in a church in Holland St. (and are still with the same church group). IK was the general secretary of Bible society of Fiji at the time. He had his pastor deported because he did not like his "Americanised" version of Christianity being one of IK's reasons. Sunday after 87 coup, IK pulled up the then pastor telling him "this is not the type of message you should preach".The following Sunday after the riot the pastor preached on The Good Samaritan. IK was there again ranting at the pastor about his preaching. "This is not appropriate". The pastor is now in Canada in a mission work and we still have these so called christians who are blaspheming God's name amongst the non-christians and christians alike. These leopards and wolves can not change their color. But they put up good masks as Angels of Light. .

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Roko
14/3/2015 07:10:56 pm

Yes, how many cuch 'Honourables' are still around after being loyal like a dog to Rabuka and his racist anti-Indian agenda in 1987 and are now in such 'honourable' positions?

There is Ratu Isoa Tikoca himself, a mediocre military officer whose strong ethno-nationalist ideas was rewarded with promotion by Rabuka. Later, he was rewarded by Qarase as Fiji High Commissioner to PNG. Yet, here we have him asking for compensation for the victims of the 2006 coup; without even blinking an eyelid for those he and his cronies under Rabuka, victimized post 14 May 1987.

The 'Honorable' Jioji Konrote was seen on the streets of Suva immediately after Rabuka's coup, with an AK47 slung over his shoulder, threatening to shoot any Indian who dared standing up to the coup.Another chameleon he has now cashed in his chips with Frank's multi-racial agenda

So much hypocrisy around!


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