The Fiji Labour Party has strongly criticised Permanent Secretary for Finance Shiri Gounder for suggesting Fiji’s sugar industry cannot be revived, accusing him of unfairly blaming cane farmers while ignoring the failures of the Fiji Sugar Corporation.
In a statement, FLP Leader Mahendra Chaudhry said it was deeply concerning that a senior public servant would “casually write off” an industry that continues to support more than 200,000 Fijians.
“It is deeply troubling that a senior civil servant, paid by taxpayers and entrusted with overseeing national development policies, can stand up and casually write off an industry that still supports over 200,000 Fijians.”
Chaudhry said the sugar industry remains critical to Fiji’s economy, particularly for rural communities, and has the potential to strengthen energy security while reducing dependence on imported fuel.
He accused the Government of failing to address longstanding problems within the Fiji Sugar Corporation, instead placing responsibility on cane growers.
“Instead of addressing the real problems within the Fiji Sugar Corporation, the Permanent Secretary for Finance has chosen to blame farmers and suggest that the industry cannot be saved.”
Chaudhry argued that because Government controls FSC, it should accept responsibility for the corporation’s declining performance.
He said the mills have not been modernised, efficiency has continued to deteriorate and financial losses have mounted under Government oversight.
According to Chaudhry, the corporation’s current tonnes-of-cane-to-sugar ratio remains well above industry expectations, resulting in significant production losses.
“The same government that now complains about ‘billions of taxpayers’ dollars’ being spent on the industry is the same one that has allowed the FSC to operate with a tonnes of cane to sugar ratio of 13, when it should be closer to 10.”
He claimed that more than 35,000 tonnes of sugar were lost last year because of mill inefficiencies and said farmers had received no compensation.
The Fiji Labour Party leader said his party has repeatedly proposed practical measures to revive the industry, including improving transport systems, increasing milling efficiency and ensuring growers receive fair and sustainable cane prices.
“The sugar industry has its problems, but the solution does not lie in abandoning farmers or insulting them. It lies in fixing the miller, improving efficiency, and giving farmers a fair price.”
Chaudhry said until the Government addresses the operational shortcomings of the Fiji Sugar Corporation, it has “no moral authority” to blame or lecture cane farmers.
