17 Nov 2004

Fiji's NFP joins calls for Labour to disclose links to company in sugar restructure

4:24 pm on 17 November 2004

Fiji's National Federation Party has demanded full disclosure from the Labour Party about a company allegedly formed by Labour leader Mahendra Chaudhry and party official Senator Anand Singh.

The NFP leader, Dorsami Naidu, has told Radio Fiji that reports about the company are very disturbing.

The reports say the company stood to make a 10% commission from the 50-million US dollar loan to be given by the Indian government for the restructure of the sugar industry.

Mr Naidu says the Labour Party should disclose all information and declare whether senator Singh was instrumental in engaging the Indian government to carry out the restructure even before government level talks began.

Mr Naidu says the Fiji taxpayers will have to pay that loan back and it is they who will be affected.

Mr Naidu the Labour Party was boycotting all sugar select committee meetings and refusing to work with the government on any aspect concerning the betterment of the country.

But, he says, they did total turnaround on the current sugar restructure plans when the technical team from India became involved.

Senator Singh has admitted he was responsible for introducing the Indian team to Fiji but has declined to reveal any further information.

Earlier, the opposition leader, Mick Beddoes had also demanded full disclosure from Labour on the same issue.