Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. (René Descartes, mathematician and philosopher,1599-1650)

Saturday 19 June 2010

Lockington's Everyday Fiji ... Life Goes On

Allen Lockington is a self-employed customs agent and business consultant who has regular articles published in www.connectme.com.fj/news/opinion. I thank Allen and Connect for permission to reprint some of them in this political blog. They remind us that life goes on, whatever the political situation. And it's good to know that.

Yasawa Boat Fares

There have been many queries from travellers to the Yasawa Group. We feel that there are some inconsistencies, and would really like the Consumer Council or whichever authority is tasked with the job,  to come in and just check the fare structure, and how freight on cargo is charged. Passengers baggage is usually opened to determine the freight charge and different people are charged different fares. This is rather unusual but the carriers may have an explanation. Travellers would like to know why this is done.

From the many queries I've heard about, I feel there is something unusual going on. There are a couple of service providers, one  luxurious and one average. Does this entitle the luxurious carrier to charge more?  If so, are we allowed to compare it with the service that the Sunbeam Bus Company provides as compared to the other bus companies? Sunbeam,  even though provides a luxurious ride with other amenities, charges the same fare as the other providers.

It would be interesting to know the answers because with all the many people who have called me, they can’t all be wrong.


Allen Lockington

1 comment:

Walker Texas Ranger said...

Good on Alan Lockington! He may be on to something. This is what we need each and every day in Fiji. Gathering evidence can be quite fun but you need to be careful as to how you go about it. Then you need to be more than careful about where it goes when you have it. Keep up this work and encourage others. The Consumer Council of Fiji has its own legal department and there is a very able prosecutor within FICAC with heaps of work on his plate. If fraud is suspected, then FICAC can direct you to the Police. We need to be sure that the Police are helping to investigate the problem and are not part of it themselve? Then last but not least, there is Aisea Tuidraki, the over-burdened but highly able Special Administrator of: Sigatoka/Nadi/Lautoka. He will set you on the right track. Clean up the rot (if it is rot) and full transparency about different fares for different people will easily solve this without the need to go elsewhere. That is THE TEST.