The People’s Alliance has called on the Government for transparency in the sale of Fiji Airways shares and Party Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka is urging the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama to wake up and take control of his Minister for Economy who seems hell bent in treating the FNPF as his own petty cash.
In a statement, Rabuka is asking how could anyone sell off shares of Fiji Airways just like that because the last time they checked, the Government used to own 51 percent of the airline, so if the Fiji National Provident Fund now owns 30.02 percent and Unit Trust of Fiji 1.58 per cent, at what price were these new shares sold for and was an independent share evaluation done.
He asks if this was a sneaky way to redeem FNPF of debts owed by Fiji Airways.
The former Prime Minister says, however these shares were transacted, the question remains if the other shareholders were consulted, specifically the other major shareholder, Qantas.
Rabuka adds that the Managing Director of Fiji Airways Andre Viljoen should be the last person to be making such a huge announcement, for the ramifications of such a sale would be felt for years to come, long after he has left the country.
He says this is the hallmark of a government that has overstayed its welcome as it thrives in cloak and dagger dealings and matters that are of the nation’s interest are decided devoid of transparency and good governance.
He further says it seems to think that these strategic assets of the state are its own, and owed no explanation to anyone.
Rabuka also raised his concerns about the conflict of interest that many board members of Fiji Airways have with people like Daksesh Patel and Sanjay Kaba appointed to more than one board.
He questions Bainimarama on his widely reported ultimatum that no one person should be a member of more than one board.
The People’s Alliance Leader says the Government sold off shares in Energy Fiji Limited and now they have pounced on Fiji Airways.
He says this is an unhealthy state of affairs and it is worrying as it is disconcerting.
Rabuka is urging Bainimarama to institute a commission of inquiry to look into the affairs of Fiji Airways, as his Minister for Economy seems to have a very dim view of the world acclaimed practices of transparency and accountability.
We have reached out to Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum to respond to the People’s Alliance statement and they are yet to respond.
