A BETTER VIEW WITH GLASSES AT THE FNPF SAGA PLEASE!

IT Is best WE HAD A BETTER LOOK AT THIS CASE. AS FOR THE PAST THIRTY PLUS YEARS, PAST GOVERNMENT, LARGE COMPANIES LOCAL AND OVERSEAS HAVE BEEN DIPPING THEIR HANDS INTO THIS POCKET OR MILKING THE COW! THREE BILLION USED IS NOT A JOKE AS TO A POPULATION OF NOT A MILLION YET!

SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011

Letter to Kodagoda: latest on FNPF

FALSE PICTURES: Looming reforms have led to increasing calls for FNPF to change its logo and 'we care' advertising.

Credit Corp boss challenges latest FNPF advertisement
Dear Mr Kodagoda & Associates

Further to my earlier emails concerning FNPF pension reforms I  refer you to the newspaper advertisement placed in the Fiji Times on 16 July 2011.

Pensioner Rod

This has inaccuracies and simply causes further confusion that leads to further questions being asked on just what FNPF is deciding with these reforms and is the very cause of undermining, misinterpreting and spreading of false information that you are so vigorously objecting to.

These are just some points that need mentioning. There are many others that I will raise in  later emails.

The good, the bad, the ugly and the sad

It is gratifying to read that 9,627 pensioners are not going to have their pension reduced.  This is the good news.

The bad news is there are 1,209 pensioners who are going to have their pensions reduced.

And the ugly news is you won’t tell us 1209 pensioners what you intend to do, and the sad news is, you seemingly just don’t care.   

Self-interest

I note in the second paragraph the advertisement states "there are few individuals with self-interest etc etc".  Let me state quite categorically I am one of those persons who has a self-interest.  I also suggest there are another 1,208 pensioners out there with that same self-interest.

Let me put it to you this way.  So far the various  pronouncements made by FNPF indicate my pension is going to be reduced to 9% (or 36% of what it currently is). (According to your advertisement it may be to 8.7% which causes further confusion). With this anticipated reduction of 64% in my pension, that it seems will be effective in September 2011, don't you think I have a right to be worried and to protect my own self-interest.

Let’s put it another way.  If when you go to work tomorrow your employer says your salary package is being reduced by 64%, what would you do?  Would you just meekly say "thanks boss that is fine" and walk away.  Of course not you have a contact to rely on and would do all you could to enforce your contract and to protect your own self-interest.

Just to check I am right,  try this tomorrow morning advising Mr Taito, CEO of the FNPF and all management and staff of FNPF that their salary packages are being reduced by 64%, and see what reaction you get. I'll bet they don’t just say      “ thanks Boss, that is fine" and meekly walk away.  You would have a huge argument on your hands, probably a walk out, the union would get involved  and quite rightly so, as Mr Taito and all management and staff  have a contract of employment and would demand FNPF stick by it, in order to protect their own self-interests,  and so they should, just as you would demand your employer stick by the terms of his contract with you.

Is this any different to what you are doing to pensioners and their pensions?  Do I make my point?  We are merely trying to protect our own “self-interest”. Nothing more, nothing less.

And when I say “we”, we are the other 1,209 pensioners who according to your advertisement are going to have their pensions reduced, by how much, who knows?  And it seems if you know you won’t tell us!

And this is despite the fact we have a binding contract with FNPF to pay our pensions that you and your associates seem quite impervious to, and with apparently no knowledge or understanding of the immense consequences and damage you are doing to our society and economy and our confidence in the law, as many of our daily needs are governed by contracts and FNPF. 

More particularly it is apparent you have no concern or care for 1209 pensioners who are going to be directly affected by your action. 

Across society and throughout commerce people can now ask , we have a contract, you said you were going to do it, but will you? It didn’t worry FNPF when they dumped 1209 pensioner’s contracts, so we don’t need to honour contracts any more. If it was good enough for FNPF not to honour pensioners contracts, it is good enough for us too! Imagine the chaos in commerce and society this could bring.

Undermine, misinterpret and false rumours

Pensioners are not undermining, misinterpreting and causing false rumours as your advertisement claims.  It is the lack of accurate, precise and factual information emanating from FNPF that is causing this problem. Pensioners have had to continually ask questions to find out and clarify precisely what the FNPF is recommending in its reform. Thus the many questions that largely remain unanswered.

Other pensioners and I have questioned FNPF on the various statements that FNPF has made.  This has been necessary because many announcement made by FNPF have not stood up to scrutiny.  They have simply created uncertainty,  and then  more uncertainty by their lack of consistency. As an example,  in the public meetings your speakers said “pensions” will be reduced because FNPF cannot afford to continue to pay pensions at these current levels.  Then miracle of miracles we now  find that 89% will not be reduced, and it seems FNPF can now afford to pay these 9,627 pensions when previously FNPF said it could not afford to continue paying pensions at current levels. Do you wonder why there is confusion?  You have brought it upon yourselves? We wonder do you really know what you are saying and doing when we see such wide contradictions in the information you are providing?

Had FNPF been transparent in its deliberations, and given pensioners accurate and correct information, and allowed them to contribute in a meaningful way to the reforms, then you and your associates could perhaps have avoided the predicament you now find yourselves in.

You cannot even acknowledge publicly that pensioners have legal and binding contracts with FNPF to pay their pensions, or that there is a Government guarantee in place to support FNPF that you and your associates seem incapable of calling up.

Your statement in the Fiji Times of 23 July is further evidence of this inconsistency and just causes further problems one of which I discuss below.

The 9627 Lucky Pensioners

It is gratifying that FNPF has finally confirmed 9,627 pensioners who receive a pension below $800 will not have their pension cut.

What may I ask is to happen to the other 1,209 pensioners on that list.  Are they all to have their pensions cut to 36% of their existing pension? Or is it 8.7% of their original balance?   You see what you are suggesting is quite unclear!

Does this mean that a pensioner on $2,000 a year will get a cut of 64% and his new pension will be $680, or $120 below the poverty line.  If so how do you explain that you and your associates are comfortable with this when you have deliberately reduced these pensions to below the poverty line.  How do you expect these pensioners to survive? Is this the best FNPF can do?

Does this mean that a pensioner on a pension of say $801 a year will get a cut of 64% and his new pension will be $272 a year, or $528 below the poverty line? Whatever cut he gets, he will be below the poverty line. Surely you are joking as the pensioner who was getting $800 has no change, and the one getting $801 is to be reduced to $272? You cannot be serious? Have you done your arithmetic?  Don’t you see the inequity of all this?

How do you explain that FNPF is comfortable that 9,627 pensioners, are to be paid 100% of their pensions and yet the remaining 1209 pensioners who receive pensions of above $801 are all to have their pensions cut by it seems 64%. Surely someone is being subsidized?

How do you balance this out,  as all of your pronouncements indicate subsidies are the very basis of your concerns? 

These questions are simply to clarify the issues you and your associates  have raised in acting as prosecutor, judge and jury on pension reforms and are not to undermine, misinterpret and create false rumours. There are many other questions that will be asked in later emails.

It seems you are deliberately targeting those 1209 pensioners who receive a pension of $801 or more.  Some would call this blatant discrimination!

You and your associates are in a mine-field of your own making!

Our Contracts

In the question and answer panel at the foot of the advertisement you ask at question number 5, “Has the Fund considered that the review of the current pension is not legal and fair as both confidence and contract issues are compromised?”.  You then proceed to answer an entirely different question that has nothing to do with confidence, contracts, or the Law of Contracts.

Would you please now at least do the right thing and stop treating the reading public and your pensioners  as simpletons and give a direct answer to the question you posed?

As I said in my letter of 9 June 2011 to Mr Taito, to which I have never received a reply, pensioners have an irrevocable contract with FNPF to pay their pension.  This is a contract that cannot be voided or changed.

Remember these 1209 pensioners are the very same people who simply followed the law for some forty years or so, who did what was required of them as good citizens and paid their contributions to FNPF, and trusted implicitly in the law that they would be protected and be provided for as the law demanded.  Sadly this law is being high jacked by you and your associates in your shameful attempt to make it redundant. 

Doing what is right

In the penultimate paragraph in the right hand column FNPF goes on to say……“the Fund must do the right thing for its members in the long term and hence, achieve its overall objectives of ensuring members financial security upon retirement.”

How gratifying it would have been if you had said ….the Fund must do the right thing for its members and pensioners etc etc……

At least we would then have known you and your associates  have some care and concern for your pensioners.

FNPF logo

I understand the current logo of FNPF is …………… “Securing your future.”

Can I suggest you immediately change this to a more appropriate..…” Destroying our 1209 pensioner’s future”, or if this is too long just “Destroying your future” sounds good, as you and your associates are doing a good job of it!

Yours sincerely

RG McDonald

(Pensioner)

Editor's Note: David Burgess' case has been delayed with the High Court in Fiji asking him and his lawyer, Shaista Shameem, to amend their application according to High Court rules. Seventy-five-year-old Burgess' case is based on a redress of  human rights. He has also been asked to provide details of how the planned FNPF changes will affect his rights.

Police commissioner falls foul of officers after opening honey farms in the north

This Blog from Coup Four and a Half is just a play off to get Ioane's name in the bad books of the Fiji Public. They look at the negative side of life always and are never willing to be thankful of anything except for themselves. The coin has two sides and he can explain on your blog if given the space.

Another example is this, read up on  number of people that signed up in: 

Sign the Petition and help Stop RFMF soldiers going on UN Peacekeeping Missions

Over 75% don't stay in Fiji and they don't know the reality of life in Fiji. They have left Fiji for greener pastures because in reality it is a very small place as compared to the rest of the economical world. Fiji is a dot in the ocean. 

When you stop RFMF soldiers going on UN Peacekeeping Missions, your views are just up to your nose. It is just best you don't ever return to Fiji as you have lost the heart of the people of Fiji and you are no more a Fijian!

You can push your trolley around the world but you need to come back home to rest, recoup and take action.

What do you think? Take about it on this Blog!

SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011

Fresh calls for Fiji Police Commissioner, Ioane Naivalurua, to resign after revelations the Brigadier General is busy launching a new business venture in the North.

Naivalurua has honey farm ventures in Nalawa and Nakorotubu districts, partly funded by a $3000 donation  from police welfare funds.

Insiders say the venture shows Naivalurua does not understand his role and is incompetent. 

"Fiji Police Force is a institution under the illegal government sworn to serve and protect the nation and its people. Its their primary and only role! But while officers are getting attacked and standards are deteriorating, Naivalurua is busy with his new business initiative."

North records the highest number of cases of violence and rape throughout the year and sources say police should be curbing crime and awareness. 


Says a police source: "The basis of FPF is the rule of law and maybe the PM must remind the Commissioner that he is no longer in prison and yellow ribbon projects where inmates are taught business to help them when they get out. What will police officers get from this business and where will the proceeds go?

"Under this Compol, police officers are suffering from having no basic allowance, noacting allowance, no basic equipment, no vision and strategy to combat crime and   police officers are getting assaulted."

Sources says it's essential to wake Fiji up to the fact that Commissioner has no plan and vision for the police force. "Ask any police officer you meet on the street, the basic question: what’s your strategy to combat crime this year? His answer will be .. hmmmm .. we don't know where FPF is headed!!!

"Brigadier General Ioane Naivalurua has shown nothing constructive to the FPF and he is the one who takes orders from PM and AG what to do everyday and has no brains of his own. That is why the FPF and its officers are being made mockery everyday.

"Business venture in Fiji police is a direct breach of police standing orders and primary police duties and FPF has no business in gaining any monetary benefits because the government gives 78 million each year for police to look after the nation.

"This act clearly shows that someone is trying to gain monetary benefits or clearly reflects that the Compol is incompetent to be at the helm of the force."

PM's POLL PATH

IS THIS NOT THE SIGN THAT ELECTION IS HEADING OUR WAY?


By Nanise Loanakadavu     29 Jul 11

Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has set the country’s path to a general election in 2014.




Commodore Bainimarama, who is also the Minister for Sugar, revealed Fiji’s way forward in his presentation at the 12th Special ACP Ministerial Conference on Sugar at Maputo, Mozambique, earlier this week.


“From early next year to 2013, Fiji will focus on political development issues, including electoral reform and formulation of a new constitution,” the Prime Minister said.


“From 2013- Sept 2014 the preparations for elections will be undertaken by educating the public on the new electoral system and the new constitution.”


He said he sincerely hoped that Fiji’s longstanding trading and development partners would appreciate his Government’s efforts to bring about genuine change to ensure sustainable peace, stability and democracy in our country.


The Prime Minister said that under the current phase of the roadmap, from 2009 to 2012, the Government would actively focus on economic and social developments.


This, he said, included rebuilding Fiji’s dilapidated infrastructure and increasing connectivity between urban and rural areas through building new roads and providing improved communication links.


“This will ensure that essential services reach isolated villages and communities which were long ignored,” Commodore Bainimarama said.


At the same time, he said, the Government is reforming its public sector to modernise it so as to respond effectively to global challenges.


He also updated the forum on the progress being made in the implementation of the Roadmap to Democracy, through a Strategic Framework for Change for a Better Fiji.


“My Government has pressed ahead with the implementation of this wide-ranging reform programme which addresses the country’s fundamental and deep-rooted problems,” Commodore Bainimarama said.


Meanwhile, the sugar ministers from the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states have urged the European Union and the European Commission to ensure that the funds earmarked for Fiji are immediately released to assist the affected farmers and the sugar industry, as a whole, in their adjustment and adaptation process.


At the conclusion of the 12th ACP Ministerial Conference on Sugar this week in Maputo, Mozambique, the conference noted failure in the release of Accompanying Measures Support Programme funds has had significant adverse impact on the Fiji sugar industry’s reform and rehabilitation programme.


The European Union had earlier said that it wanted a clear roadmap of Fiji’s return to democracy before considering the release of sugar funds.

Fiji authorities rule on New Zealander's death but questions remain

THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2011

Could Coup 4 and a half come up with solutions and don't be negative about situations please! Such as; 

Could Hotels in the West link up with Crown Aviation to help in SAR missions at times like this? 

They could even come together and help Police?

Secondly, give both side of the story on your Blog Site!

TONY GROOM

Fiji police have decided to stop investigating the death of a 55 year old New Zealand man earlier believed to have died after a beating in the rough part of Nadi.

FBC is this morning quoting Inspector Atunaisa Sokomuri as saying Tony Groom died from liver complications and not from the injuries of an alleged beating. 

DON NICHOLAS

Sokomouri says there were visible signs of injury to Groom’s body but any investigation into his death "will now cease as the post mortem has revealed his true cause of death" and that what matters in court is the results of the post mortem examination".

The verdict, however, may not be enough for the family and friends of the charter business operator, who have been asking questions about how he died.

The family of an American CEO, Don Nicholas, are also still looking for answers from Fiji authorities about the circumstances of his death.

Mr Nicholas was surfing at Nadi and didn't emerge from the water with the instructor.

His sister has been in Fiji for more than a week now, trying to piece together how the tragedy happened and what efforts were made to recover his body but has had little co-operation from authorities.

A source told Coupfourpointfive on Monday that media and police had been told to play down the two deaths for fear of spooking tourists. 

Fiji's military dictatorship has long been sensitive about what it sees as negative reporting and has been particularly uptight about coverage that could put tourists off from visting the country and reinforcing international community impressions Fiji is unsafe.

A source has since told Coupfourpointfive that lack of police resourcing could certainly have been an issue in the rescue efforts of Don Nicholas.

And he says there was never any question of retrieving Nicholas' body because 'we are ill-equipped."

Senior officers have been saying for some time Fiji's police force is in a dire situation with officers forced to pay for basic things like paper for police reports and uniform, like footwear.

They say they work with no standard or protective equipment and have been ignoring crime because they don't have vehicles or fuel to respond to call outs - claims which Fiji locals have backed up, via blogs.

Government’s commitment to economically empower marginalised women

Put aside differences says Evening

Jul 27|14:55 pm

Government’s commitment to economically empower marginalised women has seen numerous socioeconomic developments around the country, undertaken by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation.

In particular, the Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation Dr Jiko Luveni’s perseverance to reach out to ordinary women at grassroots level to hear out their plights right at their door step, has been applauded at both national and international level.

The  Catholic Women's League president Mrs Susana Evening, said efforts of the Minister for Women, through the Fiji Women’s Federation (FWF) to strengthen the ties between Government and Non-Government Organizations, has greatly motivated numerous women groups in Fiji to work together for the betterment of disadvantaged women.

She said the distribution of sewing machines around the country had not only encouraged women to stand up for their families but actually led to reactivation of women groups even in the most remote areas of Fiji.

“The sewing machines have promoted the need for women to become financially independent and for the minister to walk right up to their villages will motivate them to become independent and this shows that Government stands ready to assist the most needy,” Mrs Evening said.

“The face to face consultation with rural women will go a long way in addressing their long awaited needs.

“Through, her outreach programs, the minister has reached many women groups that were not heard before and also right to the small groups before dealing issues at the national level, she goes to the women at the very grassroots level to see what their needs are how Government can assist them, so it’s actually hearing out to the voices of marginalized women and that’s really important in motivating women.”

Mrs Evenings called on all women NGO’s in Fiji to work together with the Government for the advancement of women development.

“It is through FWF, madam minister has been able to reach out to the lives of ordinary women, talk to them, hear their concerns and this will strengthen their communication link with Government,” Mrs Evenings said.

“My advise to women NGO’s in Fiji is to put aside differences and just work towards a better Fiji for women to move forward and we can’t be hating one another and thinking about the past, we have to move forward together as one family and one nation. Because the women NGO’s need to work collaboratively to strengthen the women network and reach.”

Meanwhile, Chinese Embassy counselor, Mr Huang He, while officially handing over 500 electrical sewing machines last week applauded Dr Luveni’s continued efforts to promote women into income generating to elevate their financial status.

“It is the privilege of the Chinese Government as well as Chinese Embassy to be part of this process to enabling women in their efforts to raise their socioeconomic status. I think Fiji is in its very important development stage and I feel honored to witness the evolution, People’s Republic of China will do its best to provide our humble assistance to the efforts to raise the socioeconomic status of women in Fiji,” Mr He said.

“In fact people should be most grateful to Dr Luveni for her growing efforts in prompting women development in Fiji.”

-END- 

Fiji's illegal PM and AG supping well as nation grapples with hikes in food prices

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2011

Please note that the World resection came last year and touch the whole World affection the larger nations such as United States etc. We are in it now. Just imagine if the SDL Govt was still in power with their so called Nationalistic ideas.

SATED: Dictator and supporters.

Some food items and basic goods have gone up 55 per cent in the past six months according to a  Fiji Labour Party survey.

Last week's survey compared current prices of everyday items with prices in January 2011 after VAT was increased to 15% under Budget 2011. 

Garlic, onions and potatoes have come down but  staples such as sugar, sharps, butter and cooking oil have gone up. The price of flour/sharps shot up by 30% from $10.99 to $14.26 for a 10kg bag. The price of cooking oil (Punja’s Soya Bean) rose 16% from $3.56 to $4.11 for a 750ml bottle. 

The survey found that Rewa butter had gone up  21% putting at $7.34c for a 500g pack. Pre-devaluation 500g of was $3.29. The increase has been put at 123%.

The price for sugar has jumped almost 90% in six months from $2.39 (2kg bag) to $4.50. In recent years it was  was selling for 95c a kg. Cooking gas is almost $50 ($49 a 12kg cylinder) - a 31% hike from its pre-devaluation price of $37.50. 

FLP says the price of unleaded Super has jumped 60% since pre-devaluation – from $1.57 a litre to the current price of $2.50. Taken over a 6 month period from January 2011, the increase is 5.5%. 

Diesel is up almost 80% from $1.33 per litre to $2.37 ltr, rising 15% since January.
 

Milo has jumped 55% from $6.99 (500g) to $10.79. 

In the meat section, lamb/mutton cuts have increased in price by about 5% while Crest chicken has gone down slightly - 1.6% from $12.59 to $12.39 for a size 15. Canned fish and meat have increased by between 5-7% in price since January. 

Prices for one or two items surveyed have remained static over the six month period such as Cold Power laundry detergent and Breakfast cracker biscuits. 

Tomatoes continue to be expensive fluctuating between $10-12 a kg, despite being in season.

The FLP says its survey did not take into account market produce, prices for which have gone up 100% or more in the past six months since VAT went up to 15%. (original source FLP website)