12 Oct 2011

Fiji pension fund case in court again

7:33 pm on 12 October 2011

A second attempt by authorities in Fiji to prevent the Burness pension case going to court will be heard in early February.

The case is regarded as a test to stop controversial reforms to pensions by the main provider in Fiji, the Fiji National Provident Fund.

The FNPF and the interim Solicitor General are being taken to court by pensioner, David Burness, who says proposed changes to the pension, including drastic cuts, are discriminatory.

Mr Burness's lawyer, Shaista Shameem, says Justice Pradeep Hettiarachchi has set dates for counsel to exchange documents in the second strike out application.

"So if we're successful not to have the matter struck out then counsel have agreed with each other that they will try and get the matter expedited because it's a matter of national significance as the judge himself said on the last occasion."

Lawyer Shaista Shameem.