NFP Caught in Web of Untruths Under Prasad’s Leadership
How many times has National Federation Party Leader, Biman Prasad, demanded accountability from Government especially the Prime Minister’s relief funds? Many, many times.
On 20 April 2017, Mr Prasad went on to say: “The Leader of the Opposition and Opposition MPs have also contributed 10 per cent of their annual salary of $50,000 towards relief work for TC Winston. The NFP Leader has contributed 50 per cent of his annual salary of $50,000. There were no such reciprocal measures done by FijiFirst Government despite enjoying massive salaries.”
Interestingly, we are yet to ascertain how SODELPA MPs contributed, but let’s look at what NFP has done, and where their relief money was used. This is yet another example of NFP not practising what they have been preaching. They have demanded accountability, but from their own Winston Relief Fund they have paid medical bills of president, Pio Tikoduadua, his airfares, etc.
Not only that. While the account (Number 80519102) was initially set up as NFP Relief and Welfare Fund, only a fraction of that money went into actual relief and welfare purposes. Out of that money, they bought toner, paid staff salaries, paid for airfares and other non-relief related expenses. Is this a case of blasé attitude or an attempt to hoodwink people into thinking that the NFP is doing something when they are in fact not?
This reminds us of when Mr Prasad yelled in Parliament that the Fiji Airways financial statements and audited accounts were not with the Registrar of Companies, but that turned out to be totally untrue. Fiji Sun went and got 10 years audited accounts from the Registrar of Companies. So, why claim something about Winston relief work and use that money for everything else but Winston relief ?
From the accounts NFP submitted to the Registrar of Political Parties, we note that money which they claimed was for TC Winston relief work was used for:
■ Hard drive: $500
■ Stationery: $81.99
■ Toner: $1000
■ Desktop: $929
■ Pio Ticket Fare: $2000
■ Pio Medical Expense: $1000
There are about 45 transactions from 06/01/2017 to 28/11/2017.
We also note that only former MP Prem Singh’s contribution went into the bank account.
This would be the shenanigans of a NFP Government? NFP has been caught out too many times under the leadership of Mr Prasad.