A SPECIAL parliamentary committee chaired by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka will be established to oversee the operations of the Ministry of Sugar.
In his budget address, Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad explained the Ministry of Sugar had Parliament oversight before the 2006 coup.
“Making cane growing profitable is not the only answer to reviving our sugar industry, which has over the last two decades taken a battering, not only from natural disasters but from direct control and interference from the former regime that is still proving to be destructive and an impediment to increasing sugarcane production,” said Prof Prasad.
He said until December 2006, the sugar industry had Parliament oversight through select parliamentary committees or standing committee on sugar and then this was restored in October, 2014 when democratic elections were held again.
“Government will therefore move a motion in August for the establishment of a special parliamentary committee on sugar under Section 129 of the Standing Orders.
“This special committee will be chaired by the Honourable PM and include as members the Deputy PMs, Minister for Sugar, Leader of the Opposition and a member of the G9.”
