DEPUTY Opposition Leader Parveen Bala has slammed as “a sham” the way consultations on the Employment Relations Bill have been carried out.
Mr Kumar said the Government was disregarding proper tripartite consultations in its push to pass the controversial Bill next month.
He claimed the Employment Minister, Agni Deo Singh, has not stood by his comments since coming into Parliament that he and the Coalition were bringing in true tripartism to the table in all matters on employment and industrial relations.
“The Fijian Commerce and Employers Federation’s outright rejection of this flawed Bill proves what we’ve long suspected,” Mr Kumar said in a statement.
“This Government only pretends to care about social dialogue while bulldozing through laws that suit their political agenda.
“Minister Singh boasts of extensive consultation, yet the FCEF confirms they were given just one meeting and received documents too late for proper review.
“This isn’t consultation. It is a box-ticking exercise.”
Mr Kumar said the Bill retained dangerous elements such as absolute liability clauses and excessive fines that would strangle businesses and cost Fijian jobs.
“At a time when Fiji’s economy needs careful stewardship, this Government wants to ram through laws that ignore economic realities.
“Where is the promise of a balanced approach?”
Mr Kumar asked the minister why the proposed Bill was being rushed when key stakeholders rejected it.
In addition, he sought evidence of proper tripartite consultation and asked if the Prime Minister would intervene to prevent this attack on social partnership.
Mr Singh, who is overseas on an official engagement, said he would respond to Mr Kumar’s statement in due course.
