3 Feb 2003

Fiji Labour Party official accuses Chaudhry office of misuse of funds

5:22 pm on 3 February 2003

The former chief administrative official of the Fiji Labour Party, John Ali, has called on the prime minister, Laisenia Qarase, and secretary general to parliament to investigate allegedly illegal activities at the party's parliamentary office.

Mr Ali has told the Fiji Sun that two Labour Party employees who are paid by taxpayers funds are working for the National Farmers Union which is also led by Mr Chaudhry.

Mr Ali says many illegal activities are going on in the Labour Party office in parliament and he is prepared to give evidence about this to the investigating team.

He says office staff are against the freedom given to a journalist to use the Labour Party office as she wants and to use official telephones to call Mr Chaudhry when he is overseas.

Mr Ali says Mr Chaudhry champions transparency and good governance but the opposite is happening in the office.

Mr Chaudhry says Mr Ali's statements are lies and he has instructed his lawyers to consider legal action against Mr Ali and media organisatoins which use them.