Union: Investigate Girmit Day funds
The National Farmers Union (NFU) has questioned how $200,000 to organise an international Girmit conference was given to an organization that was deregistered last year for failing to submit its audited accounts for five years.
I call on Prime Minister Rabuka to carry out a thorough investigation of this entire matter. Mahendra Chaudhry National Farmers Union general secretary
“The money was released to the trustees of the Global Girmit Institute (GGI) to pay conference expenses including airfares and accommodation for overseas speakers that is being held at USP in Suva,” said NFU general secretary Mahendra Chaudhry. According to a statement by the NFU, the trustees of the GGI were Dr Ganesh Chand, Dr Rajni Chand (wife of Finance Minister) and Hirdesh Sharma from Lautoka. “The GGI was deregistered in February 2022 for failure to submit its annual returns and audited accounts for five years from its registration in 2017.
“Surprisingly, the Institute was re-registered on 23 February 2023 about the time the international Girmit conference was announced.
“I call on Prime Minister Rabuka to carry out a thorough investigation of this entire matter. First, there is the question of the credibility of the institute itself. Secondly, its trustees are closely associated with the Finance Minister – this smacks of political patronage and cronyism, to say the least.,” Mr Chaudhry said.
Prime Minister responds
Responding to the statement, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said Girmit Day celebrations were a government function and not a union function.
“This is a state occasion, put on by the government at the request of some girmit organisations, particularly those in New Zealand,” Prime Minister Rabuka said.
“It was upon their request; it was not an initiative of the People’s Alliance Party. It was in response to a request by the Girmit Committee in New Zealand who requested that we have a public holiday.”