Monday June 25, 2007
Fijian guard dies
A FAMILY is mourning the death of their father after he was killed on Saturday in a road side bomb explosion in Baghdad. Arthur Small, who was in his 40s, became the latest Fiji national to die in Iraq. He was killed while driving a convoy of American soldiers in Iraq. About 14 Fijians were believed to have died while serving as security guards in Iraq.
Unit has nothing on regimental funds
The head of the Anti-Corruption Unit Superintendent Nazir Ali has said there would be no investigation into the military over regimental funds saying he was not aware of it.
He said there was no evidence available to enable them to launch an investigation.
“We don’t just enter a scene without evidence. We have noting concerning the regimental funds. We act on evidence and complaints. If there any investigations against the military in relation to fraud, we will investigate,” he said.
Radio New Zealand International reported in December 2005 the military continued to defy successive High Court, Appeal Court and Supreme Court orders to allow the Auditor-General’s Office to review its regimental funds.
Landowners demand share
Landowners at Natadola want to know the breakdown of the $750,000 paid by hotel developers to the Native Land Trust Board for the vanua of Nasoqo. Kelemedi Tuqu of yavusa Leweitaqalulu, one of the seven yavusa that make up the vanua of Nasoqo, asked NLTB deputy general manager Semi Tabakanalagi for details on how the premium would be shared. Mr Tabakanalagi replied the premium was $1 million and they were paid $750,000, of which the NLTB took 15 per cent for poundage.
Wednesday June 25, 2008
Down the drain
The Government and Fiji Development Bank lost more than $4m in an affirmative action program established in 2002 to help indigenous Fijians and Rotumans.
Fisheries officials confirmed there was a 100 per cent failure in ventures that drew from the Seed Capital Revolving Fund to undertake tuna longline fishing business.
As at March 2004, the project costs for nine successful applicants were put at close to $4m.
Most of the vessels, bought at prices that ranged between $300,000 and $600,000 were sold for less than $30,000 per vessel. One vessel, the Sun 1, could only fetch $11,000 after the bank seized it because of the failure to repay the loan.
Clean as a whistle
Suspended principal fisheries officer Malakai Tuiloa wiped away tears in the Suva High Court as Justice Jocelyn Scutt considered the unanimous not-guilty opinion of the three assessors against charges of official corruption and extortion as correct.
The state had alleged that on October 22, 1998 and October 31, 1999, Mr Tuiloa received $3850 from Donald Ross Brodie to secure a tender for Seamech Ltd. He faced an alternative charge of extortion by public officer under which he was alleged to have received a $3850 cheque from Mr Brodie as reward beyond his proper pay.
Thursday June 25, 2009
Council owes FNPF $69,000
An island council in the Northern Division owes the Fiji National Provident Fund $69,000 in arrears for two years’ contribution.
The Rabi Island Council says plans are in progress to involve the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Newly-elected council chairman Paulo Vanualailai said unpaid contribution for their employees, some of whom had retired was from 2007 and 2008. He added some of the staff who retired took normal salary without FNPF contribution.
