Why are FNPF lending US$98 million dollars to Qantas?, has Qantas agreed to the terms of the “Loan”? and when will they and the Fiji Government repay the principle which initially stands at US$200 Million Dollars of Provident Fund Members money. Currently  Air Pacific are operating at loss and cannot afford to pay the interest on this sum, yet the High Flying Fast Talking Dave Pflieger who was unable to raise the money from the commercial banks in Fiji ( who just happen to have a large surplus of deposits ) has received the full assistance of his friend Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum in filching the money from the FNPF coffers, money which belongs to the members and which the Governments only responsibility is to ensure the fund is managed in a proper manner.. Yet this government like previous governments persists in treating it like their personal honey pot (Which is sad, because many of us expected better from Frank)

The members now know why Aisake Taito and the board have been bleating for the past six months on the need to deprive the existing pensioners of up to 64% of their monthly pension and appear to have the full support of Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum who will have the FNPF act amended to facilitate this travesty.

The government receives in excess of $65 million dollars each year in International passenger departure taxes, after deducting the $20+ million given to the tourist industry the balance of $45+ million a year could be paid into the FNPF, as repayment of this Air Pacific /Qantas loan… but we all know it will not be, in fact FNPF will be lucky if it receives the interest which Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says is substantial, but strangely declines to say how much substantial equates to, and of course HFFT Dave Pflieger’s lips are sealed. If it was not so serious one would think it a comedy act, it is just so farcical.

When the FNPF pensioners ask how they will afford the necessities of life if their pensions are reduced by FNPF which loaned Air Pacific the $200 million to buy these new aircraft, HFFT David Pfligger’s and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum’s response would probably be, like Marie Antoinette’s.. ‘let them eat cake‘. 

One quick question for HFFT Dave Pflieger “Why did you fly from New Zealand to Fiji on Air New Zealand last week, when there was an Air Pacific flight 30 minutes later”?  What happened to supporting the world’s friendliest airline???

Another quick question for HFFT Dave, who gets paid the Airbus commission?, anyone who has followed the Brian Mulroney saga knows that they pay commissions.Could this be why these aircraft were not purchased via Qantas?

The Attorney General, on yet another ego trip, is comparing Fiji to Singapore, totally disregarding the fact that Singapore has a parliament which decides such things.
FNPF members can be forgiven for thinking that Fiji is definitely now in the realm of nutter-land. Clearly, Air Pacific, which is currently in a loss situation and is attempting to spend its way out using FNPF members money, is in serious danger of going belly up. As a result our agricultural produce will rot in the warehouses while we wait for the ships to take them away; and by the time FNPF wakes up to realise that yet another of its investments had gone awry, Pflieger the high flying bird and his little flock will have flown far away. It is a great pity that Frank did not give the Aviation Ministry to the sensible, down to earth, Colonel Mason Smith.
Greypower

Export in all its forms is the lifeblood of any nation, for us in Fiji it is of growing importance in the area of farm produce, fish, garments etc.

In particular in encouraging utilization of fallow land for cash crops and exports of same, it is essential that the current air cargo facilities are not reduced.
In fact anyone with vision would be planning for a long term increase, and the concerns expressed by the Minister for Agriculture, growers, manufactures and freight companies are understandable.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum as the Minister responsible for Air Pacific must ensure that the haste of short term action to return the airline to profit, does not result in long term damage to the nation. The question is will he hear the other voices over the fast talking Dave Pflieger?, who as we recall terminated air services to many of Fiji’s outer Islands for a quick cash flow saving.

Greybeard

Can you Aisake Taito, tell us where in the recommendations that have been received in the last 30 years from the World Bank, ILO, Blaxland and other consultants, it states or recommends that the contracts of existing pensioners should be breached, voided or in any way corrupted by FNPF Management and Board ?

Perhaps Mr Hasmukh Patel can tell us through our comments column, why the FEA need to increase the security deposits of customers who have never defaulted, given the $8.4 million dollar net profit last year and the potential $12+ million dollar profit this year. Or is it just for cash flow to make the bonus payments?