A Labour-led government will ensure that the Fiji Sugar Corporation, like all state-owned enterprises, will be better regulated to improve governance and efficiency.
Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry said this was part of the party’s vision as it headed into this year’s general elections.
The sugar sector, the former prime minister said, must diversify as it continued to be of great importance to the nation.
“The sugar sector is still a significant contributor to the economy and provides for the livelihood of a large section of the population,” he said. “Alternate sugar-based products such as ethanol and juice for import-substitution and for export must be looked at.”
The former prime minister said the production of ethanol and other biofuels would reduce our reliance on expensive foreign petrol which would bring local fuel prices down.
Mr Chaudhry said Labour would also continue government assistance to ensure that sugarcane farming was lucrative while engaging greater private sector investment in the sugar sector.
He also said a Labour government would provide government initiatives that create the foundation of meaningful private sector investment in the area of IT which was another sector of national importance.
In this way, Mr Chaudhry said Fiji could develop a high-value IT sector and not just be subjugated to a call centre destination with low wages and low job satisfaction.
