FIJI TRADES UNION CONGRESS 32 DES VOUEX ROAD, P.O. BOX 1418, SUVA, FIJI
PRESIDENT: Daniel Urai YOUR REF: …………………..
NATIONAL SECRETARY: Felix Anthony OUR REF: PUB/01 DATE: 22/07/11
PRESS RELEASE ON ALLEGATIONS RE FNPF
The Regime continues to make personal allegations on Mr. Daniel Urai and myself. These
allegations appear on all media outlets in Fiji and in the Fiji Sun, FM96, Fijilive, Fiji Village and
FBCL with much vigor. Yet our media releases are not allowed to be published or aired on the
radio. We ask what is there to hide from the public by disallowing our FTUC media releases. If
the regime is honest in its conduct, then there should be nothing to hide from the public. We
now urge the Regime to allow free media so that we can have a constructive and open debate
on all issues. The citizens of Fiji should be allowed to make a free and fair judgment on these
issues.
In relation to the Regime's claims on payment of allowances to Board Members of FNPF and
other related Boards, we say any payment that were made to Board Members were in
accordance with the Rules and longstanding Government policy. We deny that we made
payments to ourselves as claimed. All payments were handled by Management and were
subject to Audit, hence the Audit Report to which the government is continuously referring
to. No Audit Report cast any doubt or claims that payments were out of order. We understand
that this debate can go on without any resolution and the public would never get to know the
real truth. In the public interest, I am prepared to disclose all my bank records and tax returns
which must be subject to an independent audit to ascertain the real facts provided the Prime
Minister and the Attorney General are prepared to do the same. Let’s find out where the real
abuse is and who has been paying who what.
There is no value in attempting to defame people or fool people. The citizens of Fiji need the
truth and its time the Regime opened its books to the people who pay. After all the regime was
to clean up, and being transparent would be a good way to start, albeit five years late.
The real issue in question is the violation of workers’ rights. The regime is sidestepping the issue
by making baseless personal allegations. It’s time that we concentrated on real issues.
FELIX ANTHONY
NATIONAL SECRETARY
All correspondence to be addressed to the National Secretary
Phone: (679) 3315377, 3315402/ Fax: (679) 3300306 / Email: ftuc1@connect.com.fj
12 comments:
Seems like a rasobanle deal - other than the truth being very embarrassing I can't think of a single reason why the PM would not disclose his salary and that of government ministers.
How close do you think we are to open debate and free and fair elections when media can't even run the unions point of view for fear of reaction from government. We are further from it today than we where 2.5 years ago. Since the abrogation of the constitution this government has shut down Fiji. I find it very very hard to believe we will magically move to a free and fair election when we seem to be moving the opposite direction.
Croz,
Intersting that today the PM did not name names but said certain individuals had been double dipping. Perhaps he was referring to himself and his nice little $180k payout of leave (I think we all know he did take leave over the last 20 years !).
But he was cleared by a report we have never seen and are never likley to see. And what of his own salary and benefits now. And what of his promise that no one in the military would benefit from this coup.
Every time the PM thinks about making these attacks on others he should look in the mirror and have a hard look at himself. Is he showing leadeship and keeping promises or is he the king of the double dip !
As far as I know there are absolitely ZERO checks and balances on what the PM and his ministers pay themselves. They are effectively free to pay themselves what ever they like. Even if the actual numbers where leaked to the media they would not be able to run it due to PER.
Given all the ramblings about accountability and responsibility and all the critism of past governments I would have thought this government would want to PUBLISH their salaries so everyone can see what they earn is reasonable and they are as they promised accountable !
Dear Croz,
Interested in your thoughts on many of the claims by the AG and PM that "Anti government people where double dipping". It strikes me as strange that they both seem to only mention this now because they are considered "anti government". Is he suggesting it was OK when they where "pro government" but now that they are "anti government" it is a problem.
Shouldn't anyone who is doing the wrong thing face the law ? This looks to me like one standard for government supporters and another for anyone perceived to be anti-government.
Do we assume for example ministers in his own government could be doing the wrong thing but it is being tolerated because they are otherwise doing a good job ? Will it only become a issue if they leave government and start making 'anti government' statements.
When you take the high ground on issues of good goverence, transparency etc you need to maintain the high ground. The PM and AG look to be slipping everyday.
Thanks for publishing that Croz. I have to say it doesn't look like "inclusive dialogue" will be on the agenda anytime soon. The FNPF attempt was a poor exercise in trying to tell people what have decided is best. Government in fialing to address any concerns and dropping to the level of name calling and personal insults. I have not heard it comment on the decree's that actually caused this exchange. Their excuse that there is no such decree yet is rubbish, besides people have to comment before the decree because afterwards is too late. It becomes law and no one can challange it even in the court of law.
CROZ MY BOY...DO YOU KNOW WHAT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IS AND WHAT THE BIG PICTURE MEANS? ONE MUST ALWAYS THINK OF THE END RESULT BEFORE CONDUCTING ANYTHING AS THE BIG END RESULT WILL COME TO GREET YOU WHEN YOU FINISH YOUR TASK. ASK ANY NUCLEAR SCIENTIST OR ANY PILOT AND THEY WILL TELL YOU WHAT I JUST SAID.....THE BIG PICTURE i.e THE END RESULT.DON'T JUST DEFEND YOUR NOSE ,..THINK OF THE REST OF THE ANATOMY.
The thing most people don't understand or want to know is that the downfall of the F.N.P.F. has nothing to do with our Government, but is the result of many years of mismanagement and high living of the officials on the board. 2 or them are in Australia shit-stirring now, and at least one of them should have been in jail by now, for what happened.
Oh come on, GAY! The downfall of the FNPF has been many years in the brewing and it has been percolating well after 2006. In fact, it is more than apparent that post-2006 those who went aboard were into AN OPPORTUNITY! They took that opportunity and now, far from steering the FNPF ship into safer waters, they exploited not only the Pensioners' contributions but also the Members' and the Stakeholders.
Mr Kodagoda it is now revealed is unable to write a grammatical, coherent and cogent letter in English. So what else is he unable to do? He and others before him have presided over a fiasco and a farce. Only one thing wrong with this, this is a National Fund with supra-national funds. These funds must be managed with Transparency and with full accountability IN TRUST FOR ALL THOSE TO WHOM THEY BELONG.
THAT'S US!!!!!!!!
What is more contracts are at stake here and not only pensioners' contracts. The entire legal architecture of contracts in Fiji is now up for examination, globally. Do you imagine that Mr Kodagoda and his motley crew are able to negotiate the reefs on this? The likelihood of foundering is becoming more evident day by day.
When one assumes the power and the obligation of government - by whatever means - one assumes the responsibility for EVERYTHING THAT WENT BEFORE. This is a known and it is incumbent upon any government anywhere to ensure that if it has taken on A CAN OF WORMS that it is immediately addressed and cleaned up to the satisfaction of all concerned but most especially of those who are the Stakeholders (Taxpayers and contributors in the case of FNPF). This is obvious, self-evident, completely compelling and anyone of even moderate intelligence may grasp this simple truth.
Stop divesting yourself of your responsibility, GAY. Take the bull by its most dangerous horns and accept the fact that in the matter of the FNPF all Fiji Governments have shirked and dodged their responsibilities by appointing semi-educated and even incompetents to not only manage it but also to sit on its boards. Examine immediately all boards and Chairpersons since inception.
The FNPF staff who have come to visit in the past three years have been entirely 'out of their depth', unable to conduct a conversation which is rational let alone financial. Not one of them might be considered employable in any Finance Department worthy of the name. So who has been responsible for this?
With regard to END RESULTS - that is precisely what we should have been concerned with at the BEGINNING. We forgot about collateral damage along the way and we also forgot about assuming responsibility for an under-carriage which was already showing signs of serial failures.
As for the wings and the tail? Some structural engineering was required but that went 'out the window' in the rush to the trough. A feeding frenzy ensued and displacement activities took over.
How pathetic it is now to hear "we were not responsible". The ultimate test of anyone's credibility? Lead from the front and take responsibility even in War! Especially in War.
Thank God we have no nuclear facilities or unplanned fission would have long ago consumed us all.
Interesting that no writers are game to write under their own name. This says a lot!! Also the Fijian spelling is suspect. These people are obviously not in Fiji, and not Fijian. Just poking their nose in from overseas, when they know nothing or what goes on in Fiji. Pathetic.
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