spenders'

Fiji's 'peacock spenders' under fire

From a Suva correspondent “I feel just like a peacock spraying out its tail to show the full magnificence and beauty of this government”—that was the colourful opinion of Fiji’s Minis ter of Communications, Works and Tourism, Mr. Charles Stin son, who waxed poetical during

the government’s budget debate

for 1970 in December.

Mr. Stinson added to a by-no means-convinced Legislative Council: “This is a well-balanced budget and reveals the progress which has been made and the determination of this government to push ahead with even greater progress”.

Mr. K. C. Ramrakha’s (Opposition) answer to this was to accuse the government of “peacock spending”.

He said that when Mr. Stinson was Mayor of Suva he had sold the City Council the idea of installing traffic lights in the city and building a £500,000 town hall which was prov ing to be a white elephant. The road “improvement” scheme had produced traffic chaos.

He also accused the government of breaking faith with the Opposition about an inquiry into destitution.

He said the committee of inquiry was dominated by the Ministry of Social Service and its Social Welfare Depart ment. It had set itself up as a judge in its own case and had made its own findings, white washing itself. This was trying to make capital out of the sufferings of poor people, said Mr.

Ramrakha.

New posts created

Mr. R. D. Patel (Opposition) re vealed that 436 new government posts had been created including an in crease of 25 per cent, in the staff of the Agriculture Department. He ex pressed alarm at the rise in govern ment spending and said the boom had only benefited the rich. The poor were getting poorer.

Mrs. L, Livingston (Government) described the budget as progressive, and said the government was steadily improving the lot of all sections of

the community. She pressed for a search for world markets for Fiji’s timber and for new industries to be brought to Fiji such as car assembly or radio assembly plants from big overseas firms.

Farmers in the Western Division had been so badly hit by drought that they had not harvested enough cane to pay their rents, said Mr. C. A.

Shah (Opposition). Fie urged grant ing of three-year loans to help them out of difficulties. In a colourful speech he also asked for steps to be taken to stop pollution of rivers and sea, drastic action against drunken driving and special police attention to cattle thefts.

Mr. Solomoni Momoivalu (Gov ernment) pleaded for partnership between Fijian land-owners and in vestors in hotels and motels. He complained that what the Fijians re ceived in rents was very small com pared to the thousands of dollars sent out of Fiji in profits for the benefit of overseas shareholders.

New land dealings

Minister for Fijian Affairs and Local Government, Ratu Penaia Ganilau, stated that the Native Land Trust Board had adopted a policy that participation of Fijian land owners in land developed for the tourist industry must be at. least 10 per cent, of the shares of the com pany with one seat for the owners on the board of directors.

The rent for the land was no longer fixed but was based on 2i per cent, of the gross receipts of the under taking subject to a minimum of 10 per cent, of the value of the land.

This was re-assessable every 10 years.

He disclosed; “Several prospective developers have offered to supply shares free of charge. One has offered 25 per cent, of the shares free and most of the others have offered between five and 10 per cent. As most of these are million dollar con cerns, the supply of free shares in this way amounts to a capital dona tion of between $50,000 and $100,000”.

Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S.

M. Koya, said Fiij should start talks with Britain about its entry into the Common Market to find out what would happen if Britain jettisoned the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement, which gave Commonwealth countries a high subsidy for sugar sold to Britain. He suggested the govern ment should set up its own sugar marketing board with its own men in London and New York, looking for new sugar buyers.