‘Clutching at straws’

THE National Federation Party believes only a Commission of Inquiry conducted by a team of forensic accountants can truly establish the depth of alleged financial mismanagement at the Fiji Sugar Corporation.

Party leader Professor Biman Prasad said only then could meaningful solutions be found for FSC’s financial woes.

Prof Prasad made the comment after The Fiji Times reported yesterday that four senior positions would soon be made redundant.

“Making management staff and ordinary workers redundant is a desperate measure and an exercise in futility,” he said. “This is clutching at straws.” The NFP leader said sending workers home was a desperate measure.

“It is a tragedy that the once biggest corporation or business entity in Fiji as well as the largest employer is now on the verge of financial and operational collapse and is forced to end the livelihood of its staff and workers.”

Prof Prasad said Government and the FSC board now “have to bite the bullet”.

“Government and its appointed FSC boards were solely in charge of the corporation with no input or influence whatsoever of anyone else including Parliament.

“It now means that the board and its appointed CEO accept responsibility for this colossal failure and resign their positions immediately.”

The FSC recorded a $23 million consolidated loss and $80m operational loss according to its 2019 annual report.

FSC chief executive officer Graham Clark said FSC did not comment on third party statements and “this is an established policy”.