Bainimarama corrects FTUC chief Anthony
PRIME MINISTER RESPONDS TO FIJI TRADES UNION CONGRESS GENERAL SECRETARY CLAIMS ON ILO SITUATION
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has hit out at Felix Anthony over the trade unionist’s recent outburst against the Government. Mr Bainimarama said the interpretation by the general secretary of the Fiji Trades Union Congress about the talks on labour reforms and the International Labour Organisation was Mr Anthony’s own “because he wants to be relevant.” Mr Anthony had criticised the Government claiming it has failed to honour its commitments. He again threatened that the FTUC would call for an ILO Commission of Inquiry. But Mr Bainimarama said: “He (Mr Anthony) hates the fact that the Government continuously empowers the workers through its policies. “They were trying to dominate issues at the Ministry of Labour with their own agenda. He talks about the Minister being removed from discussions, which is not true. “The fact is that he (Mr Anthony) is trying to conduct ERAB meetings without its chairman so he can push his own agenda. “He intends to isolate some unions from being part of the meeting. Everyone in Fiji knows that the international community has seen through his lies and now there’s no investigation by an ILO commission of inquiry
“Of course they will pay Fiji a visit but it’s far from the COI that the likes of him want.” Mr Anthony’s latest claims come ahead of a visit to Fiji by an International Labour Organisation Tripate Mission. It comes after the ILO declined to setup the commission of inquiry which some unionsts wanted. Mr Anthony had claimed Fiji continued to be on the ILO agenda for serious violations of workers’ rights and “is on the verge of being investigated by an ILO Commission of Inquiry.” “One cannot claim true democracy without respect for human rights. Workers’ rights are part of human rights,” he said. “The ILO Tripartite Mission is to arrive in the country on 25th January. The FTUC looks forward to meeting the Mission and presenting its report. “We continue to call on the ILO to decide on a Commission of Inquiry should no progress be made in resolving the impasse. There must be tangible actions taken by Government to comply. Promises by Government hold no value whatsoever.” Mr Anthony claimed the Government was to report back to the Tripartite Partners by January 4 on some items agreed to in their last meeting.
He claimed that unfortunately, the employers and FTUC were advised on December 24, last year by the Acting Permanent Secretary for Labour that future meetings would be handled by the Chair of ERAB who is the Solicitor General.