ELECTIONS OFFICE ASSIST IN DAIRY COMPANY POLLS
The Fiji Co-operative Dairy Company Limited (FCDCL) sought the assistance of the Fiji Elections Office to conduct the election of its board of directors, in a move that marks a first for the organisation.
Previously, the elections was conducted with the assistance of Government.
FCDCL held its sixth annual general meeting in Nausori on November 27.
The company is reporting increased production, continued cost-cutting, and the decline of the impact of tuberculosis on the industry.
Chairman, Simon Cole said there were contentious elections in the past, thus the idea of using the Elections Office to address potential controversy.
All shareholders, who are dairy farmers, welcomed the idea, and it worked, Mr Cole said.
A highlight of the annual general meeting was the presence of Ministry of Agriculture permanent secretary, Ritesh Dass, who emphasised the importance of cooperation and teamwork in the dairy industry, and the significance of agriculture in the post-COVID 19 recovery plans.
The election itself saw seven
candidates for five directorships, and a total vote from 167 shareholders.
The new board of directors are:
■ Mahendra Singh,
■ Dhirendra Prakash,
■ KJagdish Chandra,
■ Kashmir Singh, and
■ Martin Compain.
Mr Cole thanked directors, Mangal Singh and Bob Harness, for their contributions over the years and wished them well.
FCDCL chief executive officer, Kushmendra Prasad, thanked all the farmers who continued to invest in the dairy sector, and to Government for their continued support towards recovery of the industry.