FSC Farewells Graham Clark
He has future plans to visit Fiji again once the borders open to give back and help the tourism industry grow.
Yesterday was Graham Clark’s last day at work. The outgoing chief executive officer of Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) is now looking forward to spending quality time with his family.
Mr Clark, who took up the appointment of FSC CEO in March of 2017, departs our shores today to enjoy his retirement with his family in Australia.
He was appointed as FSC CEO just after Fiji went through the nation-wide devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016.
He was accorded an emotional farewell by the staff and management based at the FSC Head Office in Balawa, Lautoka, yesterday. In a final interview with the Fiji Sun, Mr Clark said his work here has been nothing but satisfying.
He said: “It has been very satisfying, all our young people have progressed which is good to see and the mills have run better and we just need to get the cane crop now and once we have got that, we are ready. “We haven’t got quite what we wanted because nature has probably upset us a little bit. The weather was a very big challenge. “We should have got to two million tons of cane by now but we haven’t because mother nature was a problem and we always have a lot cyclones in Fiji and we had to face that. “The farmers have progressed, they have all embraced the new techniques and the new technical advice that we are giving now so that is good.”
He hopes that in the next five to 10 years, the sugar industry would achieve more than two millions tons of cane.
“I hope for more than two million tons and the industry can do more things like generating more power and making ethanol to benefit your crop,” he said.
Mr Clark added he would certainly be in touch with Fiji’s sugar industry.
“I’ve just retired and it is now time to be with my family and children,” he added. He has future plans to visit Fiji again once the borders open to give back and help the tourism industry grow.
Successor
Bhan Pratap Singh will succeed Mr Clark as CEO from March 22.
FSC in a statement said Mr Singh was no stranger to the industry having previously spent 18 years at FSC. He started as Shift Chemist and quickly progressing to Assistant Product Superintendent and then as General Manager with responsibility covering all the mills from 2005 until 2011. Mr Singh also spent his last two years at FSC as Deputy CEO and General Manager Operations before leaving FSC to become CEO of Pacific Fishing Compnay (PAFCO), a position he has held till date.