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

Wednesday 29 August 2012

FLP Blames Government for Increased Poverty

Chaudhry & Son Ltd

Related item. See what long-standing FLP party member Felix Anthony has to say about how the FLP meeting was conducted. Anthony was so disgusted at the way the Chaudhry father and son manipulated discussion that he left the meeting. Click here to the Grubsheet article. UPDATE. Chaudhry said Anthony’s statement is not an official statement from the Fiji Trades Union Congress however FTUC President, Daniel Urai has just confirmed that it is an official FTUC statement.

BOTH CAN'T BE 100% RIGHT, CAN THEY? While the Fiji Labour Party, on the one hand, is blaming the Bainimarama government for the increase in poverty “over the past four years” (that is, since the FLP leader Mahendra Chaundry left or was dismissed from  government!), on the other hand, we have a National Federation Party member, Rajendra James, congratulating the government for all the things it has done to help the poor.

Labour's list of “harsh measures inflicted by the interim administration” include increasing VAT to 15%; reducing pension benefits (that has “forced 90% of our retired elderly into abject poverty”); deferring Wages Council recommended wage increases; the removal “100,000 poor households” from subsidised electricity costs of benefits to some; and sanctioning increases in water meter connection charges. They also blame government for the decline of the sugar industry brought about by land lease problems, milling inefficiency, incompetence, inadequate financial support to farmers, and the loss of $420 million from the EU “due to adverse political developments.”

In the opposing corner, Mr James asks “What is wrong with the current administration that has been looking after the affairs of Fiji for the past six to almost seven years? They have provided the elderly with food vouchers and subsidised public transport; school children are also getting free bus fares, and the sugar industry is getting a “much-needed financial boost to help it get back on its feet.”

Mr James told the Constitution Commissioners in Nadi that “having another general election will not make any difference right now for us. There are more important things to address. What Fiji needs at the moment is good education standard, infrastructure improvement and that is what the current administration is doing very well.”

How can we balance these opposing view? Government has done some things that have not helped the poor and the increase is VAT was one of them, though basic food was exempt. The wage increase delays is another. The sugar industry is also in a mess but many of its problems were not of government making. Government has also taken many measures, some mentioned by Mr James, to assist the poor.

The FLP has selected the negatives and blamed them all on government. Mr James has selected the positives. Both are about 50 % right. One sees the cup over half empty; the other more than half full.


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of course they can't. The only single source of truth in Fiji is the current self appointed government. Ask them, they will tell you the truth and anyone elses version will be shouted down as 'old politics', 'elite views' or 'not taking the country forward'.

Mahen/FLP double talk said...


Felix's statement is not the biggest joke of the year. The biggest joke is how MPC champion of the poor raised $3m in name of poor, then stole it.

FLP is for MPC and family, not for workers. As interim finance minister MPC cut workers' pay by 5%.

FLP’s record in standing up for the interests of the workers and the poor cannot be challenged – Hahaha, what a joke! Where is the $3m you mahen?

Felix comments about FLP delegates are NOT a pack of lies. We al know FLP delegates are badia bail (castrated bull) and lamu sona ghar phatu (cowards).

It was MPC who came to the meeting with a pre-planned agenda , not felix, and deviously manipulated elections. MPC employed similar tactics before when he appointed his toilet cleaner in-law, Sachida Sharma, to senate.


Felix and five other dissident members brought considerable disrepute to the Party - hahahah! It's is MPC who disgraced and destroyed party and family name by stealing poor's entitlement while pretending to represent them.

Felix had to be disciplined and later apologized and received a strong reprimand. Ok, when will MPC be disciplined and reprimanded for stealing? When will he apologise?

Joe said...

Granted there is poverty in Fiji, which is nothing new, has been there ever since Adam was a boy. What I cant understand is why so called "champions of the poor" literally steal from the poor and point their finger the other way.

Perhaps the millions in Aust. may have been dished out to the poor come 2014 as a vote buying measure, with the intention of staying in power and stealing more, but there is a new decree out today to address that. Thank God for Frank and Aiyaz.

Bill Carson said...

Family Dynasties are out of favour !!!

Just look at Egypt, Libya and Syria.

Gamal Mubarak & Saif al-Islam Gaddafi have been confined to the dustbin of history, and Basir Assad of Syria (son of former President Hafez al-Assad)will soon join them.

Rajen Chaudhary, by most accounts, a very arrogant man, has no place in the governance of New Fiji, simply because he is Mahen's beloved son and will inherit his millions.

Ram Sami said...

There is increased poverty in fiji and you've got millions Chaudhary.

Now, how about it. Go ahead and make my, your and all the poor people's day !!

It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Dont store it away in Australia,give it away here in Fiji.

Store your treasure in heaven !!