Local News in brief
Fiji PM responds
INTERIM Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says his counterpart in Samoa has "gone too far" in his criticism of Fiji, the current government and its leadership. Mr Bainimarama said it was unprofessional and unbecoming of a head of Government of a fellow Forum member country to make public statements about another Forum member country and its leader. "The recent attacks by the Samoan Prime Minister is definitely ‘unpacific' and unwarranted," said a government statement. Mr Bainimarama said Fiji would never comment on any other government and its leadership and expected the same from a close neighbour such as Samoa.
Hunt for robbers
POLICE are still hunting for a group of men who robbed a family at the weekend and stole their vehicle. Divisional Crime Officer West ASP Vijay Singh said officers were searching for the robbers and the stolen vehicle. The robbers broke into the farmhouse of Narayan Datt at Qeleloa in Nadi early Saturday morning and terrorised the family for about an hour.
Adi Finau denial
A FORMER minister and senator, Adi Finau Tabakaucoro, says she has not been asked by the interim Government to serve as Fiji's High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea. High Commissioner to PNG, Ratu Isoa Tikoca, was recalled by the Foreign Affairs Ministry just before the Forum Leaders meeting in Port Moresby last month. He was sent by PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare to try and get interim PM Voreqe Bainimarama to attend the meeting. PSC permanent secretary Taina Tagicakibau said government had not made any decisions yet on the issue.
Sangh support
FIJI Kisan Sangh supports the decision of the interim Government to restructure the sugar industry. General secretary Kallu Dhani Ram said the review of the industry was long overdue. "We appreciate what the interim Government is doing because no democratically-elected government has done such a thorough review of the industry so far," he said. The interim Government has dissolved the Sugar Commission of Fiji and Fiji Sugar Marketing Company Ltd. "Some organisations have been chewing up farmers' money for years without showing any good results," Mr Ram said.
FHL tight-lipped
FIJIAN Holdings Limited remain tight-lipped on the funders of its purchase of BP Southwest Pacific Limited.
The $190million deal is understood would largely be sourced from local institutions including FHL and also an Indian company.
FHL managing director Sereana Qoro did not wish to divulge information on the funding arrangements saying the company would update the market in the very near future.
Fiji National Provident Fund chairman Parmesh Chand said there is nothing to say at this stage.
