Brisbane lost a trailblazer and a giant of the Fiji sugar industry on December 30th, 2020, with the passing of a long-time Brisbane resident, Rasheed Akhtar Ali.
Rasheed was appointed as the first-ever local managing director of the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) in May 1980, making him the then senior most business executive in Fiji.
This was only seven years after FSC had taken over the running of the sugar industry from the Australian-owned Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR), who had run the sugar operations in Fiji for over 90 years.
Barely two years after Fiji’s independence in 1970, the CSR threatened to move out of Fiji after the 1972 crushing season, claiming it would be unprofitable to continue operations in Fiji after the Denning Award.
Given that sugar was the vital industry and major revenue earner for Fiji’s economy, Fiji’s first Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara made a bold move and through an Act of Parliament in 1972 created the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) to take over the operations of the mills and to run the industry.
On April 1st, 1973, FSC took over the running of the industry despite the marked decline in cane and sugar production and the lack of experienced locals in managerial positions who could run the industry.
Rasheed – a young lad who hailed from Ba, where his father was a headteacher at Ba Muslim School – had begun his career with the FSC as an accounting officer at the Labasa Mill in 1964.
By 1973, he had gathered hands-on experience at all four mills, and was brought to FSC Headquarters as the chief accountant.
He joined the FSC executive management group and accelerated the on-the-job management and technical training geared towards accelerating localisation plans.
Rasheed guided the expansion and growth of industry to record levels of sugar production and profitability.
He was successful in changing much of the old culture and helped introduce significant mill expansion and automation such as introduction of the bulk sugar terminals.
He invested in capital works to undertake the modernisation and expansion of the mills to increase capacity and efficiency.
He also headed FSC’s diversification into the distillery business and the sale of excess power to the FEA national grid.
With Rasheed’s capable leadership, supported by major industry reforms including the guaranteed preferred sugar price under the 1975 Sugar Protocol of the Lome Convention and the 30-year land tenure under ALTA, enabled the sugar industry to flourish.
The Seaqaqa scheme was conceived and successfully completed during Rasheed’s tenure.
Rasheed holds the distinction of leading the industry to reach a record sugar production of 501,000 tonnes in 1986.
This is three times the current levels of Fiji’s sugar production. According to the 2020 Fiji Sugar Corporation Report, the sugar production for the 2018 and 2019 has been 162,000 and 169,000 tonnes respectively.
Hundreds of thousands of people relied on the sugar industry for their livelihood.
The growth of the industry brought huge prosperity to the entire Fiji population.
The economic multiplier from the sugar industry had a positive and profound impact throughout the country.
Rasheed increased the publics participation in FSC equity and paid regular dividends during 10-year tenure as MD.
In the tribute written on the passing of Sir Ian Thompson, who was the then long-term independent chairman of the Sugar Industry, it was recognised that the 1980s were “the golden years of the sugar industry”.
The tribute states that “repositioning it in the wake of the departure of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company, the dynamism of Rasheed Ali and his colleagues at the Fiji Sugar Corporation, co-operation of the cane farming organisations, political stability provided by Ratu Mara’s leadership and the wise stewardship of Sir Ian was a formula for success”.
He was held in very high esteem by all the stakeholders and received tremendous encouragement and personal support from
Ratu Mara.
Rasheed became a respected confidant of the prime minister and accompanied him on several international trade meetings.
They even attended a breakfast session at the White House during the presidency of Ronald Reagan.
After his illustrious career and contribution to Fiji, he resigned in May 1990, exactly 10 years after taking office and migrated
to Australia with his family.
But not before he had mentored his successor managing director Jonetani Galuinadi and the new executive management
team.
Rasheed was immediately head-hunted by Booker Tate Ltd, an international Agri-Business Company, to open and head their
South East Asia/Pacific regional office based in Brisbane with responsibility for their businesses in Sri Lanka, Papua New
Guinea, China, Vietnam and Indonesia.
He was also appointed director on the boards of the two sugar companies in China and also in Sri Lanka and Papua New
Guinea.
He was also made a member of the executive board of the Company in the UK.
Rasheed was involved in the acquisition of the Bundaberg Sugar Company by Tate and Lyle and did most of the ground work
for the takeover.
Rasheed went on to assist Tate & Lyle to on-sell Bundaberg Sugar Company to Finasucre of Belgium.
He carried out studies to streamline the sugar companies in Barbados and Jamaica and helped to restructure the businesses to
reduce costs and return them to viability.
He led a team to identify and evaluate sites for the establishment of a sugar mill for Tate and Lyle in Vietnam.
The mill was successfully established and is operating profitably and successfully.
After retiring from Booker Tate at age 62, Rasheed became a retained consultant for the group with specific responsibility
for Sri Lanka and PNG.
He was appointed a director of Ramu Sugar Ltd in his own right and became consulting director responsible for operations
and diversification.
He successfully oversaw study for establishment of Oil Palm plantation and factory at Ramu and growth of cattle business
into a herd of more than 18,000 cattle with feedlot and abattoir.
Rasheed resigned from the Ramu Sugar Board in August 2008 along with all the board when company was taken over by
Malaysian-owned Oil Palm interests.
In 2004, Rasheed was appointed a board member of FSC, as a nominee of the Leader of the Opposition, Mahendra Chaudhry.
Later in 2009, he was appointed by the Bainimarama administration to head a team to review the fnancial and operational
viability of the corporation and the Sugar Industry.
He served under five of Fiji’s prime ministers, obviously having the acumen to walk the fine tightrope between politics,
strong unionism, growers organisation and commercial reality, while ensuring profi table outcome for the industry.
Rasheed holds the distinction of being the fi rst non-practicing accountant to be appointed president of the Fiji Institute of
Accountants.
He was the president of the Institute from 1982 to 1984.
He served on various boards and statutory organisations including the Reserve Bank of Fiji, Fiji National Provident Fund, Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji, Fiji Sugar Marketing Co Ltd, Sugar Commission of Fiji and chairman of South Pacific Distilleries Ltd.
Rasheed was a long-servicing board member and chairman of the Society for the Blind in Fiji and long-serving board member of Guide Dogs for the Blind Association of Queensland.
From 1994, Rasheed had been the patron of Queensland Association of Fiji Muslims, which was involved in the development of
youth and culture and raised funds for education of needy children in Fiji and for sick people who sought medical assistance.
Rasheed continued to be held in very high esteem by the members of Brisbane community and was always available to provide guidance to those who sought his advice.
He was bestowed the British CBE (Commander of the British Empire) award “in recognition of his exceptional work and
service to the sugar industry in Fiji” and received the honours from the Queen at Buckingham Palace on June 15, 1985.
Rasheed, who would have turned 81 this February, was still actively involved in community service until the end.
He is survived by his wife Sabra, son Arif, daughter Farisha and two grandchildren –Sara and Amir.
- Ram Karan is the former chief general manager operations of Fiji Sugar Corporation and former chief executive officer of Ramu Sugar Ltd-based in PNG. The views expressed are the author’s and do not reflect the views of this newspaper. Courtesy of www.indianradio.net.au
