25 Jul 2011

Fiji Provident Fund board members threatened with lawsuits over planned changes

1:59 pm on 25 July 2011

Some of the board members of Fiji's National Provident Fund have been told that if there's any review or reform of the Fund, the beneficiaries will hold them legally liable.

In a media release lawyer Shaista Shameem says the members would be held accountable in their personal capacity because the board was not appointed lawfully.

Dr Shameem says the proposed review breaches the interim regime's People's Charter.

There's concern reform would cut the pensions and Dr Shameem is representing pensioner David Burness, who's challenging the plans.

He's taken the Fund and the Attorney General to court but the two government parties have tried to have the application struck out, saying they were surprised the registry had accepted the application.

The court last week ordered all parties to file written submissions on the strike-out motion and a judgment on this is now expected later this week.