18 May 2005

Forum Fisheries Agency seeks reimbursement of money given to Fiji fisheries official

9:30 am on 18 May 2005

The Honiara-based Forum Fisheries Agency wants the chief executive of Fiji's ministry of fisheries to pay back money given to him to attend a meeting which he skipped.

Radio Fiji reports that the FFA has written to Fiji's ministry of foreign affairs asking for reimbursement of 2,240 US dollars which was paid for the daily expenses.

The money was given to the fisheries CEO, Mitieli Baleivanualala, to attend a fisheries meeting in the Federated States of Micronesia in November last year.

But instead of attending the meeting, Mr Baleivanualala went to visit relatives in the United States.

Fiji's public service commission investigated Mr Baleivanualala and found him guilty of the offence as well as eight other charges of misconduct.

The PSC will hand out disciplinary action next week.

Meanwhile, several other senior fisheries officials remain under police investigation for accepting large sums of money in return for issuing fishing licences to Asian boats.