THE Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) is the bulwark of Fiji’s financial system and should never be allowed to fail as it is the custodian of hard earned savings by each and every working person in Fiji.
Most importantly the entitlements of each pensioner should never be compromised or meddled with .
The funds accumulated are made available to contributors based on their contribution and well thought guidelines decided by the Board.
The FNPF was founded before Fiji’s independence when membership government was in force. Hon AD Patel as member for social services in 1965 (Ratu Mara was Chief Minister) introduced a Bill in the Legislative Council which gave birth to FNPF and the first CEO was Hugh Robinson and he provided great leadership.
Mr Robinson was followed by a very prudent Lionel Yee who guarded the FNPF like the fabled temple dog and the funds were in good hands.
Contributors as they reached pension age were comfortable with the rules as they were avidly followed.
Successive governments all protected and preserved the FNPF funds and the laws governing the contribution and pension funds payout were followed in a very strict and ethical manner.
Series of coups did not upset the funds and the FNPF Board was a blend of representation from businesses, unions and government and contributors felt comfortable as they had representatives on the board to take care of their interests.
Then came the 2006 coup and the Government of FijiFirst party (unelected) started meddling with FNPF Board representation and appointed their lackeys who were quick to compromise their independent thinking. In 2011 a decree was promulgated without any consultation under the guise of structural change to FNPF, but hidden in the decree was a 50 per cent reduction of pension monies for a group of seniors and the illegal decree was based on the supposition that if they did not take the step FNPF would become insolvent, a very feeble point of view.
There was no such danger and FB and ASK were not empowered to take such action and the present Government must not give any credence to the decree.
Furthermore to protect this gross misdemeanour they legislated that the decree cannot be challenged in court so one illegal move was protected by another illegal legislation.
Once again the 2013 Constitution gave them unfettered powers and they took action which they were not empowered to do.
The FNPF is the people’s money. There was no parliamentary approval and who are Voreqe Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum to decide the fate of FNPF and why did their lackeys on the board gave their acquiescence.
Moreover, the so-called Minister for Economy (a grandiose title) used FNPF as his piggy bank and went on buying spree of hotels from Suva to Denarau and investment in airline and plunged FNPF into investments which was not in the best interest of pensioners.
The so-called minister made frequent trips to India under the pretext of enticing Bollywood producers to come to Fiji, but each Bollywood venture failed.
They created a debt level never experienced in the history of Fiji. Debt as we know is tantamount to slavery as President Andrew Jackson wisely observed ‘when you get into debt you become a slave’.
Debt was deliberately, purposefully and intentionally created to enslave the country.
Today the Minister of Finance has the arduous task to come out cleanly from the very deep well of debt created by Mr Sayed-Khaiyum.
The last election of 2022 if FijiFirst had won that would have been the last nail in the coffin and would have spelt disaster for Fiji.
Fortunately the counting machines from Pakistan failed them and we are today saved from the dictators. Dictators never and they have never been in the habit of losing.
More importantly the 2013 Constitution gave credence to the foolhardy provision of the constitution where a select band of seniors were made to suffer.
FNPF is supposed to look after the interest of all contributors.
Then we have the hard working Minister of Finance announcing to reinstate the slashed pension funds back to normal as from August 1, 2024 – thank you minister but your action is indeed half hearted .
Why are you giving credence to the ill conceived Decree of 2011?
How can you resolve or absolve a grave sin committed by FFP and give a half-hearted solution – this is not acceptable .
What about the rightful entitlements of seniors way back from 2012? FNPF is using these funds which are not theirs and there is ample reserves to take care of such meagre payout.
Minister, why are you recognising the ill-conceived decree imposed by FFP in 2011 and then restoring entitlement from only August 1, 2024 – this is not the answer.
The Editor of the The Fiji Times Fred Wesley brilliantly said that the FNPF must do the right thing and he enunciated it so beautifully in his editorial. FNPF and the minster must take heed of what Fred Wesley has said as he is the voice of the people.
FNPF has no right to sit on funds belonging to seniors and use these funds for their own embellishments and boasting profits at the expense of seniors.
FNPF has to do the right thing and pay back entitlements to seniors forthwith and without any hesitation.
We see a very salubrious picture of chairman Dak Patel in coat and tie boasting of profits made by FNPF and at the same time using the funds of seniors who are denied their rightful share .
Time has come for FNPF to:
do the right thing;
restore its credibility;
look after the interests of all contributors and payout rightful entitlements ; and
have a clear conscious and do the right thing by all pensioners.
FNPF cannot hide behind the dictatorial ill-conceived illegal decree of 2011 using their power through the illegal 2013 Constitution.
AD Patel, Ratu Mara, Sitiveni Rabuka, Mahendra Chaudhry, Dr Timoci Bavadra, Lai Qarase all allowed total independence for the operation of FNPF.
The illegal regime of FFP supposedly gave themselves many illegal things and one of them was slashing the FNPF entitlements to Seniors.
Minster of Finance do not give us half measures – the seniors require full restoration. The Prime Minster and all minsters must support the Minster of Finance in this instance.
It seems the present board gloats over the use of funds which is not theirs.
It is apparent the present board are not playing a fair game and pretend to be oblivious to the wrongs of FFP.
It seems they are compliant and supportive of the decree of 2011 impose by Bainimarama and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum.
This being the case the entire board of FNPF should resign as a matter of principle and a new board ,which has a heart and soul, correct the mistakes of the past.
We need action and not procrastination.
The plight of the seniors must be heard and we well know the Rabuka Government has a benevolent heart and soul unlike FFP.
