Dear Grey Power Editor,
A Selina Fotu of Nasinu wrote a letter to the Editor which was published in the Fiji Times today (25/8/11) on the changes proposed by the FNPF Board and Government to our pensions.
What we found surprising was that a letter about the FNPF was actually published by the Fiji Times when pensioners’ letters have not been published at all on any FNPF subject. Moreover, a paid advertisement from fijipensioners Grey Power advertising our website was refused last week by the Fiji Times on the ground that its lawyers had advised not to publish it.
When queried, the Fiji Times pleaded the subjudice rule, that is, that the issue is before the court. Yet Ms Fotu’s letter supporting the proposed changes by the FNPF is published. We wonder- just where is Fiji Times coming from? Self-censorship? As we used to say in the good old days, ‘(Fiji Times), you’ve come a long way, baby!’.
Let us now deal with Ms Fotu’s letter to the Fiji Times editor.
First, the letter does not say whether she is a pensioner. I am sure if she was a pensioner she would not be singing this song of.,.’ I say go for it FNPF, make those changes..’
Secondly, it is curious that of all the public statements by the FNPF made in recent weeks, Ms Fotu chooses to refer to section 63 of the FNPF Act as justification for the reduction to pensions, the same one that Aisake Taito rather unconfidently cited on TV 1 when the Burness case first went to trial. Section 63 of the Act says nothing about reducing peoples’ pensions. This particular point makes us wonder whether Ms Fotu is actually someone at the top of FNPF in disguise. Of course our letter in response to Ms Fotu would never get published in the Fiji Times otherwise we could have a real debate about the FNPF Act and how it is interpreted by pensioners themselves- the duty to supply information to the beneficiaries for one- sadly neglected by FNPF.
The other point Ms Fotu makes is that ‘only 11 per cent of pensioners will be affected by the changes’. Right madam- that 11 per cent don’t matter do they? Perhaps not to you if you are being heartless and ruthless. But it matters to everyone else- we are not pensioners but we support the right of pensioners to stand up for themselves and defend and protect what is theirs- a product of their hard work and savings. But unless Ms Fotu is a pensioner, she will not understand that. She must be one of a handful of people not standing up to support the pensioners in their fight for justice. Shame on you Ms Fotu.
Grey Power supporter.
Fiji Pensioners 
Johnny Yee said:
I read the letter as well and am convinced that it was written by some ball polisher from FNPF. As for the Fiji Times, everyone knows that some journalists seems to have a soft spot for Taito. I remember that during Taito’s charade in the name of submissions, a Fiji Times journalists heaped him with praises for being calm despite all criticisms. She forgot to think outside the box and reason that Taito was calm as he had no answer to give for all the misappropriations. This same journalists if I recall claimed for maintenance payment from Taito’s father -in law for a child while he was ruling Fiji after dooming this country into the coup culture. As for Ms. Fatu, she is a selfish lady who is very unchristain as she doesnt care about the effects that the reduction in pension will have on the pensioners. For her, 11% is just a number. She doesnt feel the pain of others. She should consult her bible again especially the part where its spelled out that “do unto others what you want done to you….”. She says that we should save the ship before it sinks. FYI Ms. Fatu, the problem is not the ship but the pilot, engineers and the crews. You need to save the ship from them and not the poor pensioners who did no wrong to deserve such cruel treatment. The pensioners did not make senseless decisons that resulted in the loss of 330 million. The pensioners did not tell FNPF to invest in the momi project which is now rotting away. The pensioners had no hand in FNPF recruiting experts and expensive management companies to manage the natadola and momi projects. And last but not the least, the pensioners had no hand in allowing buffet lunches for staffs and families of the hotel and golf course in natadola and interest free loans to ex-GM and his deputy (who by the way has done a runner to NZ). The pensioners also had no hand in wasting FNPF’s money on staff training as a result of recruitment of unworthy staff on whom you know basis. So why punish the pensioners.
La Passionara said:
Good on you, Johnny. That is exactly right. Have you noticed that FNPF is on a back foot lately? It stubbornly wants not to lose face by not backtracking from its proposal so its advertisements are becoming something of a broken down record; and incoherent also. I think the boys at the helm (not a single woman on Board) are uneducated, ill-informed carpetbaggers. Did you know that Ajith Kodagoda the FNPF chairman has also 2 other jobs (3 if you count his job with CJ Patel- what do they want out of this I wonder); Kodagoda is head of ATH (ah ha- didn’t they take money from FNPF?) ; and wait for it- FIRCA. What, you say? I do too.
Pensioners have every right to ask the President for a Comm of Inquiry.
Talei Burness said:
Yes, not a single woman on the Board – FNPF has been very much a “boys club”, can you envisage them allowing a woman on board (excuse the pun), who just may rock the boat?!
We should all be asking – “who is Ajith Kodagoda”? – what exactly are his qualifications and what qualifies him to be Chairman of the FNPF Board?
He doesn’t respond to emails nor does he acknowledge receipt of them – how arrogant and how unprofessional is that? Definitely not someone we would like to be guiding the FNPF Board and managing members’ funds……
And he works for FIRCA too? You have to be kidding me!
mataka setoki said:
This People of the Fund Mismanaged, Misuse millions of the Members Fund and what Hurts is when they Lied to the Members.
The Natadola, Momi Bay, FSC, GPH, Tappoo, Fiona & Rokovunisei, & AIr Pacific.. which Totalled $513,035,000.00. This does include the ATH deallings, etc ..etc and the Millions they had already d misused from the Previous Govt.
The Govt uses the Funds Finances to run the Govt.. then they .. start to “Cut the Hand that Feeds the Mouth”
When you start to do that, you are worst than an animal, and worst than a Cripple.
It took approximately 45 yrs to Bancrupt the wealthiest Institution in the Nation, who rakes in more than 2 millions yearly’
It outsources all the Commercial Banks in Fiji !
If the Banks of Fiji are still running healthy now since they Started, before the FNPF began…. the best thing to do is to remove them immediately … I wonder .. How are we going to have a decent .. Govt… the matter occured during the Political Era.. with a Constitutional Govt….Now we have this….. again… so I just get it….
It took Japana 50 yrs to rise up to be the # 1 Nation ini the World, after WW II. They all worked together, from the Top of the Ladder to the poor of the Land, to build Japan to what it is today.
They had Japan in their Hearts,
No wonder they achieved their Goal by placing their Nation First, for the Well being of their Generations.
They treat their War veterans with honour and diginity.
Look what we did,
It took 45 yrs for the FNPF, to crumble and reduce their Members to feed on peanuts like Monkeys.and then put the Blame of their Mismanagements on the pioneers of the Fund, the PENSIONERS.
We have a very common problem within our Leaders of the this beautyfull Nation.
“They seem to have the Interest of the Nation, NOT IN THEIR HEARTS but IN THEIR POCKETS and use their beautyfull mouth of making all kinds of Lies.”
No wonder we are feeling the Wrath of their Dishonesty.
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