THE African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group believes the European Union (EU) withdrawal of sugar funds is hurting the people working in Fijis sugar industry, according to a report carried by PACNEWS.
In the Pacific, Fiji is the sole signatory to the sugar protocol and benefits from EU allocated funding to help reform the sugar industry after loss of preferential sugar prices to the EU.
The funds were earmarked for Fiji under the Accompanying Measures Support Program.
ACP secretary general Dr Mohammed Chambas says Fiji should endeavour to return to democratic rule to resume sugar funding from EU.
Mr Chambas said: We have to be mindful in this particular case the withdrawal of funds are hurting the workers and the people of Fiji who are in the sugar sector, and I think the transition process must stay on course and Fiji should endeavour to return quickly to constitutional rule as scheduled so it can assume full co-operation with the EU under the Cotonou Accord.
Dr Chambas said a Joint Parliamentary Assembly fact finding mission would be dispatched to Fiji next month to assess Fijis situation.
In the third week of July the Joint Parliamentary Assembly will be fielding a fact-finding mission to Fiji.
I think that would help to clarify the transition programme to see at firsthand progress that has been made, he told journalists in Port Vila.
In this regard Im particularly pleased to hear Australia and New Zealand are providing support for the registration exercise which will start in July and I hope this support will continue for the other aspects of the preparation for election, so that condition can be created in Fiji that would allow for a credible transparent election in 2014.