4 Apr 2003

Telpac boss accuses Fiji government of repeatedly breaking the law

4:27 pm on 4 April 2003

The head of a Fiji-based telecommunications company, Telpac, says the government and its agencies keep breaking Fiji's laws in their effort to force his company out of business.

Tim Gibbons says a conspiracy saw him being briefly detained at Nadi airport where the government tried to have him deported and declared an illegal alien.

Mr Gibbons has praised the Fiji judiciary for quickly stepping in and ordering his release.

He says if any more illegal steps are being tried by the Fiji government the judiciary will move swiftly.

"They will be held accountable. The judge recognised the fact that these guys have completely gone way past the mark and the judge is now in total control of the situation. So I don't think that we'll see too much action coming from them and if we do, the very ministers or even directors, bureaucrats and politicians will be held accountable under the law here."

Tim Gibbons