16 Nov 2004

Call for Fiji Labour Party leaders to disclose connections with mystery sugar industry company

7:12 pm on 16 November 2004

Fiji's opposition leader, Mick Beddoes, is demanding full disclosure from the Labour Party leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, and Labour senator Anand Singh about a company of which they are directors.

Radio Fiji reports information has started to surface that Mr Singh and Mr Chaudhry may have made contacts in India about the restructure of Fiji's sugar industry before government to government talks started.

Mr Singh has declined to talk on the issue but admits he was responsible for introducing the Indian delegation to Fiji.

He says he will not disclose any information because they are being subjected to a smear campaign.

Mr Beddoes says Mr Singh's admission means he and Mr Chaudhry must disclose all details of their company and whether it was involved in any deals with India.

An earlier report said the company set up by Mr Chaudhry and Mr Singh was to receive a 10 per cent commission on business deals in the sugar restructure which will be carried out with a loan of over US$50 million from the Indian government.