Government ‘will not stop consultations’
GOVERNMENT will not stop civil society groups from meeting with the Chinese developers, David Group, on a proposed $2 billion casino development, says Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica.
He said they should also not be surprised if the Government does not take part in the consultations.
He was responding to David Group Fiji director Sandeep Singh and Fiji Council of Churches president Archbishop Peter Loy Chong who expressed their disappointment over the no-show of government officials at the consultations at the Holiday Inn in Suva on Wednesday.
“The David Group should not have been surprised that the Government did not attend,” Mr Kamikamica said.
“Once the Prime Minister announced that the Government does not intend to discuss this, it was very clear that we will engage when we do come up with guidelines and policy.
“So, the consultations that happened were even a surprise to me, but the people are entitled to talk to whoever they want to talk to.”
During the consultations, Archbishop Chong said they had invited the Government for the discussions.
“We are disappointed that the Government was not here because the Government needs to listen to the questions and the concerns of people because, at the end of the day, any economic development must be people-centered,” Archbishop Chong said.
“We humbly request our government officials to journey with the people of Fiji by using these consultations.
“We ask them to join us for our consultations because we join their consultations when they ask us because it favours the people. It favours good governance.”