Biman calls for fresh investigations
THE National Federation Party has called for a fresh investigation into the Fiji National Provident Fund and Aspen Medical of Australia forming a partnership in 2019 that resulted in the creation of a subsidiary company, Health Care Fiji Ltd that now oversees the running of the Ba and Lautoka hospitals.
NFP leader Professor Biman Prasad said members of FNPF had a right to know the details and dealings behind the scenes of FNPF joining hands with Aspen Medical after the airing of an investigative documentary on ABV TV Four Corners program in Australia revealed questionable conduct of Aspen Medical in Australia, Africa and Sri Lanka.
Professor Prasad claims FNPF has pumped in $10.1 million over the past three years into the public-private partnership company with Aspen.
“Apart from FNPF’s investment of $10.1 million so far, $424,000 was borrowed by Aspen from FNPF as highlighted in the fund’s 2019 report,” he said.
“The $10.1 million was injected in three instalments. In 2019, it was $1.224 million. In 2020, $3.2 million was invested and the 2021 report shows an investment of a further $5.7 million.
“We want to know where has the money gone? $10.1 million is not pocket money or a loose change in coins. It is the workers’ money.
“If invested, it must provide a decent return.”
“The 2021 FNPF Annual Report shows the value of 80 per cent ownership by FNPF of Health Care (Fiji) Pte Ltd is $6.109 million, somehow incredulously rising from $1.487 million in 2020.
“How can the FNPF management make this assessment to reflect an increase of $4.62 million in a single year without any visible investment in Lautoka and Ba hospitals since the signing of the public-private partnership with Aspen in January 2019.
“$10.1 million of workers’ money has been pumped into this so-called partnership but the 380,000 people that were supposed to benefit from it are still waiting for the much-promised world-class health and medical services.
“We now demand an independent inquiry to determine who, how and why this deal was brokered to get FNPF to enter into partnership with Aspen.”
FNPF said it would respond to queries soon.
In a statement released on May 2 in response to the Four Corners program, Aspen Medical, based in Australia, said it had provided important medical services in extremely difficult and challenging circumstances to supplement the work done by governments, corporates and NGOs charities.
“Aspen Medical is strongly against any corruption or corrupt practices wherever we work in the world. Aspen Medical is not involved in any money laundering.”