12 Jan 2007

Fiji military bans Sports Council head from travel

4:24 pm on 12 January 2007

Fiji's military has placed a travel ban on the head of the Fiji Sports Council, pending investigations.

And the board of the council has been suspended as part of the military's clean-up campaign following last month's coup.

Fijilive says the immigration department has confirmed that the council's CEO, Alice Tabete, has been banned from leaving the country.

According to the website, Alice Tabete has been sent on leave to enable the military to carry out its investigations into the affairs of the council.

The interim minister for youth and sports, Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi, has confirmed that his ministry is also scrutinising the council's books.

The council's financial controller, Aseri Radrodro, has been appointed acting chief executive officer in the interim.

The minister for sport in the deposed Qarase government, Rajesh Singh, was sacked by the prime minister after he repeatedly demanded an investigation into the affairs of the Council, particularly how money for the 2003 South Pacific Games was spent.