Fijileaks
  • Home
  • Archive Home
  • In-depth Analysis
    • BOI Report into George Speight and others beatings
  • Documents
  • Opinion
  • CRC Submissions
  • Features
  • Archive

ITALIAN Flavour to FijiFIRST PARTY Donation, beefed up with thousands into 'donation steak' - a cocktail of non Indo-Fijian FFP donors, with The Whittons and The 'Macdonals' joining in the 'FFP DONATION Meal Deal'

15/10/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture
Tony and Brigid Whitton

 THE WHITTONS $65,000: A TOUR through the FijiFirst Party Donation List throws up an array of donors, with the owners of Rosie Holidays (which rebranded in 2018 to Rosie Travel Group, RTG), the country's largest inbound tourism operator, topping up the donor chart among the non Indo-Fijian FFP donors, with $65,000. The RTG also owns and operates two of the country's premier island resorts on the Mamanuca Group - Malolo Island Resort and Likuliku Lagoon Resort.

Picture
TONY Whitton with his proud mother Rosie Whitton
Picture

As we have pointed out previously, most of these donations are legitimate under the Donation Decree. Moreover, the scion of the Whitton family, Rosie Whitton's own rise from rag to riches in the founding of their tourism business empire, is much to be admired and emulated in Fiji. RTG's managing director Tony and his wife Brigid Whitton made a donation of $5,000 on 9 August 2014. It was via Direct Debit to FFP Treasurer Vimlesh Kumar. On 31 August 2017, Tony, Brigid and Rosie Whitton donated $10,000 each ($30,000), and on 8 October 2018, Tony and Brigid donated $10,000 each ($20,000), followed by Rosie on 30 October 2018: $10,000. Total: $65,000. In March this year, Tony Whitton reported that the company lost $15million in sales as a result of lost business from COVID-19 and 25 executives had taken a ten per cent pay cut to sustain the company which employs 600 people https://www.fijitimes.com/tourism-tycoon-loses-out-on-sales/
RAG TO RICHES: https://fijiplus.com.fj/dream-makers-rosies-scion-tony-whitton/


On 15 June 2014, the Italian-born businessman Flaviano Pisoni, the owner of The Italian Shop, donated $5,000 to FijiFirst Party. Flavio (as he is known) made his money on the motor racing circuit in Europe and drives the only Ferrari in Fiji.

Picture
Picture
FLAVIANO PISONI in 2012 - Two years before the donation in 2014

On the same day, the restaurant maestro Richard 'Cardo' Slatter beefed up the donation with his $2,000 to the FijiFirst Party. Both donations were received by Treasurer Vimlesh Kumar

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Hannah Raffe and Brian Kirsch

HANNAH RAFFE, of the Plantation and Lomani Island Resorts on Malolo Lailai Island in the Mamanuca Group, donated $5,000 on 9 August 2014, via Direct Debit, to FFP Treasurer Kumar. The two resorts are part of Raffee Group of Hotels. The family also own Fiji Gateway opposite the Nadi International Airport terminal. Plantation Island which was founded by her late father, Reginald, celebrated its 50th anniversary last November. Her husband Brian Kirsch, of Robinson Crusoe Island Resort, also donated to FFP. On 18 September 2017, Kirsch donated $5,000. RN: 858. There is no evidence who received the donation. On 8 November 2018, he donated another $5.000. There is no receipt or who from FijiFirst Party received the $5,000 from Kirsch. In August 2020, he was elected President of the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association. We wrote to Hannah Raffe but received no reply from her.


CAROL SMITH, the owner of Musket Cove donated $20,000 to FFP. On 28 October 2014, she donated $10,000 to FFPHQ. RN:1036. Four years later, on 14 October 2018, she donated $10,000 but both R/N and Receiver are missing from donor list


Picture

In 2014, came flying TIM and SUSAN BOYCE with their $10,000 for FFP. They donated via Direct Debit (70) to the party treasurer Vimlesk Kumar. The couple own the Pacific Flying School in Nadi.

The Pacific Flying School is subsidiary Joyce Aviation (Fiji) Ltd.The owners and directors, Tim & Susan Joyce, have been living in Fiji for the past 11 years. They established Tandem Skydive (Fiji) Ltd and Adventure Sailing Fiji in 2004, Joyce Aviation (Fiji) Ltd (trading as Heli-Tours Fiji) in 2009 and recently purchased (July 2014) Sunflower Aviation Limited / Pacific Flying School Limited.Tim is the Managing Director & CEO for each of these companies.

Picture
Picture

There were also small donations to FijiFIRST Party. On 9 October 2014, GENE CALVERT donated Fifty (50) Dollars. And BRUCE and LESLIE PHILLIPS, on 9 August 2014, $500 to the FFP Treasurer Kumar.

We have already noted Marc Mcelrath 'Mcdonal's $10,000 to FFP. His mother, BEVERLeY FLORENCE, joined the 'FFP Meal Deal', donating $10,000 on 10 October 2018. There is no record of any receipt issued or who at FFP received the donation. On 14 October 2018, PATRICIA MARY FERRIER WATSON donated her $100 to FijiFIRST Party.

TO BE CONTINUED

1 Comment
Bahuki
15/10/2020 08:36:05 am

Talk about saying, "Grazie for filling our empty coffers since we at FFP are broke."

Mamma mia!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    editor@fijileaks.com

    ARCHIVES

    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    Picture
    Picture