The people of Ba are blaming Fiji-born New Zealand multi-millionaire businessman Ballu Khan (photo: Fiji Daily Post) for losses incurred by the Ba Provincial Holdings Limited, and may take legal action against him. The company belongs to the Ba Provincial Council, which is owned by the ethnic Fjjian people of the Province.
Ba Provincial Council member and Western Shipping Operations manager, Luke Ratuvuki, said Ballu Khan was involved with missing financial documents needed for audit purposes.The Board irectors of the company were unable to form an opinion whether the financial statements given were true because of the missing documents.
Mr Ratuvuki, a former permanent secretary in the deposed Qarase government, said “Ballu Khan is involved. There was some involvement of Mr Khan in the illegal takeover of the Company Board that was headed by Ratu Tevita Momoedonu in August, 2006. “This was [done] through his company Pacific Connex and the Native Land Trust Board."
Ratuvuki said suspicions were reported to police two years ago and to the FICAC (corruption commission) but it is a complex case involving millions of dollars and many people, locally, nationally and with international links. “Ballu Khan has been in the picture from Day One and we will prove that he is to blame." The Board is awaiting investigators to verify all facts before pursuing legal action.
Ratuvuki said the people of Ba and the Board wanted answers, justice and compensation.
“The people of Ba are angry ...[the case] has had a widespread effect, not only with people in villages, but also [with] unity. It has split the people of Ba.”
Background
Earlier, separate allegations implicated Mr Khan in 2006 in offering to pay off SDL party debts in exchange for business advantage, and in 2007 of financing and possibly master-minding the assassination plot to kill PM Bainimarama. Subsequent to his arrest in 2007 he was badly injured by police and returned to NZ, having won permanent stay of prosecution because of the police assault. The unrelated Ba issue could see an attempt to extradict him from NZ to face charges, but it is highly unlikely NZ would agree in the present political circumstances. Readers wishing to read more on Khan should type his name in the SEARCH THE BLOG facility. This facility gives access to blog and all other internet reports.
For readers not familiar with Fiji geography, Ba is Fiji's most populous and most economically important province. It has 28% of the country's population; is ethnically mixed (42% Fijians, 54% Indo-Fijians, 4% Others); the main tourist destination; and the major sugar cane, gold and pine producing region.
8 comments:
This guy is trouble with a capital T every time he does anything in Fiji. But he's got the gift of the gab, as well as an ability to accumulate piles of cash, so he knows what buttons to push with the greedy and ambitious. Your average Indo-Fijian can pick a crook at fifty paces so it's no surprise that Ballu Khan prefers to target gullible indigenous wannabes. Some of them are now in Naboro paying for their part in Khan's plot to assassinate Frank Bainimarama. And now, the people of Ba are finding out what its like to be Ballu-ed. The wonder of it all is that he's treated with such respect in NZ. Take a look at his Youtube TVNZ appearance and the fawning profile on the website of the lamentable "Pacific journalist" Michael Field. Viavialevu Field prides himself on his perspicacity. But, yes, he got Ballu-ed as well. Khan argue with that! (sorry)
Ha Ha ha, this again shows the shallow side of NZ media which worships Ballu Khan like a little God, especially Paul Henry in NZTV’s breakfast shows. How can Ballu be a crook when he is in the good books of NZ Mainstream media? They all point an accusing finger at Fiji and Frank without knowing the facts, which people of Fiji had been aware of. And that is that Ballu was number one CROOK. Now, NZ is a laughing stock for harbouring somebody who has been screwing the vulnerable indigenous people of Ba.
So where has the high moral ground evaporated to since Vorege’s December 2006 coup? Remember one of the corruptive practices Vorege claimed he was going to eradicate, which were supposedly prevalent in Qarase’s reign namely corruption & nepotism?
Strangely, after 4 years no one from PM Qarase’s Cabinet has been found guilty of this charge, yet, Vorege himself has committed both these corruptive practices on his tavale, on himself, when he back-paid himself over $100,000.00 and to many other as well!
......ballukhan deserved the bashing he got! that will teach him not to interfere with what does not concern him!! imagen him mastermiding the takeover of Ba Holdings just because BH was in partnership with Digicel who is currently flourising in Fiji today and Pacific connex???? DOWN THE TOILET!!!! IN YR FACE BALLLLUUUUU!!!!
Ranadi
Cara Wai, I don't know what's in the wai where you live but there's something there that's eroding your grey matter from within. For someone from the old order to be giving lectures about corruption and nepotism is a total joke. And just because FICAC can't lay one on doesn't mean anything. To secure any conviction in the nation's courts, you need hard evidence like an incriminating paper trail leading back to the accused. Lai and his kai vata were too smart for that. When you had a government that operated on kickbacks and a sly nod and a wink, it's no surprise to anyone that accusations of wrong doing have been impossible to prove. But that certainly doesn't mean it wasn't happening and we didn't know at the time we were all being fleeced. Give us the evidence of Frank doing the same ( the corruption and kickbacks you allege ) and let's have a look at it. Come on, we're waiting.
Ranadi, I must say your recent contribution to this discussion is somewhat less than regal. Upper case words and exclamation marks are the written equivalent of verbal screams and abuse. And when Ballu Khan's name is writ large like this, it's truly scary. So much so that my dog started to howl. I don't know whether you're a real queen or not but however much Ballu upsets you, please try to be more restrained and ladylike.
@queen hysteria- what I have said is no comparison to what BK put thru the BH and the people of Ba Province, I will not mince my word and I will repeat "He deserve what he got"PERIOD!
Ranadi
The actions of Ballu Khan to the Ba Holdings is so ruthless that now, right before the eyes of the people of Ba and Fiji, the Digicel name is in its finest position... the Ba People should have been getting their 'returns of investment' by now, since its going public if it wasn't for you... you Greedy Individual!
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