2 May 2003

New Zealander shuts down Fiji business after 30th robbery

4:17 pm on 2 May 2003

A New Zealander has shut down his business in Fiji after being robbed for the 30th time since arriving in the country nine years ago.

Tom Gollop says he will have to lay off his seven workers, adding that Fiji's high crime rate makes it an unsafe place for investment.

A newspaper report says in the latest robbery, thieves broke into Mr Gollop's premises and stole construction machinery valued at nearly five thousand US dollars.

Mr Gollop says he has lost enough already to last him a lifetime and does not see why he should invest in a country that does not look after its investors.

Mr Gollop has accused the police of ignoring his concerns that he and his company had been marked by robbers who were known to the authorities.