COCKFIGHT ends with the mauling of Biman Prasad and Joel Abraham
Labour deplores the manner in which the Finance Minister and the Fijian Competition and Commerce Commission rushed to the media to accuse us of putting out “fake” information without first investigating the matter.
As it turns out it was the Minister and FCCC that had misinformed the public and not Labour.
Their accusation concerns an FLP Facebook post of 21 April 2023 at a time when the Chair of the Financial Review Committee was advocating that the zero rating on basic food and other household items be removed and these be subject to 15% VAT.
Labour was concerned at the severe impact of such an increase on the pockets of poor and low income families. We posted a comparative table showing the impact of a 15% increase on these basic items using prices prevalent as at 21 April 2023.
No one had objected to the post then. Why bring it up now more than 3 months later?
We stand by the prices quoted on our post. It is FCCC which has erred in comparing those prices with prices prevailing at 2 August 2023. It did not take account of price fluctuations between 21 April and 2 August 2023.
We have written to FCCC drawing attention to their error. We expect them to correct the misinformation they have spread labelling our prices as fake. It is a false allegation which they must withdraw.
Labour is appalled that a State institution like FCCC should act so rashly without fully investigating the allegations made against us by the Minister.
FCCC sent an email to FLP late Wednesday night (10.28pm 2 August 2023) outlining its allegation and seeking our response. This was well after the end of business for the day. But before that it had already gone to the Fiji Sun, at least, stating that we had put out fake prices. The Fiji Sun splashed it on Page 2 of its edition on 3 August along with a statement from FCCC CEO Joel Abraham.
The Commission should be reminded that it is not there to act at the behest of its political masters. It is there to protect the interests of the consumer and ensure fair trading standards are maintained.
We suspect pressure was applied to come down hard on Labour .
The proper course of action would have been to write to Labour and ask for its comments instead of rushing to accuse it of wrong doing.
Had FCCC done so, it would have saved itself the embarrassment of being proved wrong.
The rush to denounce Labour smacks too much of political pressure and interference.
As it turns out it was the Minister and FCCC that had misinformed the public and not Labour.
Their accusation concerns an FLP Facebook post of 21 April 2023 at a time when the Chair of the Financial Review Committee was advocating that the zero rating on basic food and other household items be removed and these be subject to 15% VAT.
Labour was concerned at the severe impact of such an increase on the pockets of poor and low income families. We posted a comparative table showing the impact of a 15% increase on these basic items using prices prevalent as at 21 April 2023.
No one had objected to the post then. Why bring it up now more than 3 months later?
We stand by the prices quoted on our post. It is FCCC which has erred in comparing those prices with prices prevailing at 2 August 2023. It did not take account of price fluctuations between 21 April and 2 August 2023.
We have written to FCCC drawing attention to their error. We expect them to correct the misinformation they have spread labelling our prices as fake. It is a false allegation which they must withdraw.
Labour is appalled that a State institution like FCCC should act so rashly without fully investigating the allegations made against us by the Minister.
FCCC sent an email to FLP late Wednesday night (10.28pm 2 August 2023) outlining its allegation and seeking our response. This was well after the end of business for the day. But before that it had already gone to the Fiji Sun, at least, stating that we had put out fake prices. The Fiji Sun splashed it on Page 2 of its edition on 3 August along with a statement from FCCC CEO Joel Abraham.
The Commission should be reminded that it is not there to act at the behest of its political masters. It is there to protect the interests of the consumer and ensure fair trading standards are maintained.
We suspect pressure was applied to come down hard on Labour .
The proper course of action would have been to write to Labour and ask for its comments instead of rushing to accuse it of wrong doing.
Had FCCC done so, it would have saved itself the embarrassment of being proved wrong.
The rush to denounce Labour smacks too much of political pressure and interference.
