POLICE PROTECTION. Bill Gavoka has asked for Police deployment at the Education Ministry, claiming that the angry 'Naitasiri Mob' might ransack his new ministry in 'protest', for many rank and file SODELPA members increasingly see him as traitor who has sold himself to Rabuka
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THE FALL GUY: The sharks in NFP began circling around Radrodro when he demanded an audited account from Ganesh Chand's Pacific Polytec to whom Prasad dished out $4million of taxpayers money.
*The NFP is also refusing to answer whether the party paid a SODELPA Management Board member $160,000 as a 'Vinaka Vakalevu Cheque' for voting to go into coalition with PAP and NFP
*When Rabuka reshuffled Radrodro and Vasu but later rescinded his decision, the NFP had approached Bill Gavoka and had requested if AGNI DEO could swap the Labour portfolio with Education but Radrodro and the SODELPA Management Board refused the swap.
*During the Coalition talks, Sodelpa wanted Infrastructure portfolio but settled with the Ministry of Education.
*Yesterday, we had revealed that Unaisi Baba claimed that pressure was being put on her to re-instate FNU Registrar Sarita Devi otherwise Government funding would be at risk. It is being alleged that Biman Prasad had threatened to cut off the funding to FNU.
*Despite Rabuka admitting that he made a comedy of errors leading up to Radrodro's sacking as Education Minister, the question on everyone's lips is this: is the game plan to get rid of Radrodro from Parliament altogether so that Ro Teimumu Kepa can take up his seat - for she is lying next in line - and once again can return as Education Minister - a position she held in the Laisenia Qarase government?
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POLITICAL TURF WAR at FNU between PAP AND SODELPA
 Unaisi Baba |  |  Karavaki |  Seniloli |
The old political rivalries between Dr Tupeni Baba and Sitiveni Rabuka from the SODELPA days has crept into the FNU. PAP's choice of Adi Kesaia Seniloli and Sodelpa's choice of Semesa Karavaki was a political turf war at FNU that saw Unaisi Baba triumph as FNU VC.
Meanwhile, serious questions are being raised about Seniloli's time at FHEC Board, where she was accused of conflict of interest
FLYING HIGH ON SITIVENI RABUKA'S COAT TAIL BUT GAVOKA MUST ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT FIJI AIRWAYS FLIGHT TO ISRAEL
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The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) will assess a complaint against the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka, Fiji Airways and others for allegations of abuse of office and fraud relating to the Feast of the Tabernacle Israel trip last year.
FICAC acting deputy commissioner Francis Puleiwai said yesterday an update would also be provided.
Fiji Airways, in partnership with the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem and Faith Harvest Church, operated a charter service flight last year from Nadi via Hong Kong to Tel Aviv, Israel for delegates to attend the annual Feast of the Tabernacle. A charter agreement was signed between Fiji Airways and the charterer WABS Pacific, also trading as Pacific Voyager, according to documents provided.
The agreement confirmed a FJ$3 million bill for the charter flight and the complaint said this contradicted the FJ$2 million cost as publicly claimed by Mr Gavoka.
Pacific Voyager was alleged to have been the front company used by the Tourism minister while WABS used its other company, Kane Holdings as the guarantor of the payments if a default occurred, with the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and Faith Harvest Church as the other guarantors.
Fiji Airways allegedly did not register the agreement with the Fiji Personal Property Securities Registry, nor was proper vetting of the travel agency and the churches conducted. Mr Gavoka was alleged to have abused office by authorising the charter with the understanding there were not enough funds available to cover the $3 million fee from Fiji Airways. The complaint alleged that of the total amount paid by the passengers, only $400,000 was paid to Fiji Airways, which left an outstanding balance of $2.6 million.
SunBiz’s questions to Mr Gavoka and Fiji Airways went unanswered before this edition went to print.
A source said the charter flight was a confidential commercial matter and Fiji Airways was bound by non-disclosure agreements.
FICAC acting deputy commissioner Francis Puleiwai said yesterday an update would also be provided.
Fiji Airways, in partnership with the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem and Faith Harvest Church, operated a charter service flight last year from Nadi via Hong Kong to Tel Aviv, Israel for delegates to attend the annual Feast of the Tabernacle. A charter agreement was signed between Fiji Airways and the charterer WABS Pacific, also trading as Pacific Voyager, according to documents provided.
The agreement confirmed a FJ$3 million bill for the charter flight and the complaint said this contradicted the FJ$2 million cost as publicly claimed by Mr Gavoka.
Pacific Voyager was alleged to have been the front company used by the Tourism minister while WABS used its other company, Kane Holdings as the guarantor of the payments if a default occurred, with the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and Faith Harvest Church as the other guarantors.
Fiji Airways allegedly did not register the agreement with the Fiji Personal Property Securities Registry, nor was proper vetting of the travel agency and the churches conducted. Mr Gavoka was alleged to have abused office by authorising the charter with the understanding there were not enough funds available to cover the $3 million fee from Fiji Airways. The complaint alleged that of the total amount paid by the passengers, only $400,000 was paid to Fiji Airways, which left an outstanding balance of $2.6 million.
SunBiz’s questions to Mr Gavoka and Fiji Airways went unanswered before this edition went to print.
A source said the charter flight was a confidential commercial matter and Fiji Airways was bound by non-disclosure agreements.
