Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry says it is not an act of desperation by the FLP to try to get into a coalition with parties like the Fiji United Freedom Party and People’s Democratic Party who have never been into parliament and did not make the threshold to even get one seat in parliament.
FLP did not meet the 5 percent threshold to have a seat in parliament after the 2014 election as they only secured 2.35 percent of the total votes.
PDP had 3.2 percent of the votes while the Fiji United Freedom Party had 0.22 percent of the votes.
Speaking to Fijivillage today, Chaudhry says they respect the decision by SODELPA and NFP that they would not want to go into a coalition and will contest on their own.
However Chaudhry says the Fiji Labour Party is still talking to the Fiji United Freedom Party and the People’s Democratic Party.
Chaudhry hopes that there is agreement on a suitable united front to contest the 2018 election with the two parties.
When questioned by Fijivillage on whether this is an act of desperation, Chaudhry says this will never be the case.
Chaudhry went on to say that he should be allowed to contest the 2018 election although he has been convicted of breach of the Exchange Control Act.
He went on to say that he believes he is innocent although he was found guilty by the High Court.
Fijivillage then asked Chaudhry why he paid the $2 million penalty after the conviction if he believes that he did nothing wrong.
Chaudhry is also not saying whether he will remain the leader of the party going into the 2018 general election although he cannot contest the election.
The Suva High Court convicted Chaudhry in 2014 and ordered him to pay a fine of $2 million.
He was found guilty of three counts of breach of the Exchange Control Act.
Justice Paul Madigan had ordered that Chaudhry had to pay the fine or he would have to serve 15 months in prison.
Mahendra Chaudhry also had to comply with the Exchange Control Act by the 31st of July, 2014 which meant that he needed to repatriate the 1.5 million Australian dollars held in Australia.
Chaudhry paid the fine however took the matter to the Fiji Court of Appeal where the conviction was affirmed but the sentence was varied.
The Appeals Court was of the view that in all the circumstances of the case, the quantum of the fine imposed by the trial Judge was excessive and Chaudhry’s fine was reduced to $1 million.
FLP did not meet the 5 percent threshold to have a seat in parliament after the 2014 election as they only secured 2.35 percent of the total votes.
PDP had 3.2 percent of the votes while the Fiji United Freedom Party had 0.22 percent of the votes.
Speaking to Fijivillage today, Chaudhry says they respect the decision by SODELPA and NFP that they would not want to go into a coalition and will contest on their own.
However Chaudhry says the Fiji Labour Party is still talking to the Fiji United Freedom Party and the People’s Democratic Party.
Chaudhry hopes that there is agreement on a suitable united front to contest the 2018 election with the two parties.
When questioned by Fijivillage on whether this is an act of desperation, Chaudhry says this will never be the case.
Chaudhry went on to say that he should be allowed to contest the 2018 election although he has been convicted of breach of the Exchange Control Act.
He went on to say that he believes he is innocent although he was found guilty by the High Court.
Fijivillage then asked Chaudhry why he paid the $2 million penalty after the conviction if he believes that he did nothing wrong.
Chaudhry is also not saying whether he will remain the leader of the party going into the 2018 general election although he cannot contest the election.
The Suva High Court convicted Chaudhry in 2014 and ordered him to pay a fine of $2 million.
He was found guilty of three counts of breach of the Exchange Control Act.
Justice Paul Madigan had ordered that Chaudhry had to pay the fine or he would have to serve 15 months in prison.
Mahendra Chaudhry also had to comply with the Exchange Control Act by the 31st of July, 2014 which meant that he needed to repatriate the 1.5 million Australian dollars held in Australia.
Chaudhry paid the fine however took the matter to the Fiji Court of Appeal where the conviction was affirmed but the sentence was varied.
The Appeals Court was of the view that in all the circumstances of the case, the quantum of the fine imposed by the trial Judge was excessive and Chaudhry’s fine was reduced to $1 million.
