The Fiji opposition National Federation Party says the police shut down of an NGO meeting shows the Government is continuing with its dictorial style of governing the country.
Dialogue Fiji was scheduled to hold a three-day forum on the sugar industry this week but police stopped the event, saying it did not have the required permit.
But the NGO says the meeting was neither public nor political.
The NFP leader Biman Prasad said proposed government reform of the industry had been criticised by sugar cane farmers in the past.
He said the police move proves the government is hell-bent on shutting down genuine dialogue, discussion and expression of views that may be unpalatable for them.
"There's been a lot of backlash on the two proposed Bills on sugar by this government to reform the industry by the farmers and stakeholders so they do not want any discussion on an issue where they are being portrayed as a government which is incompetent, which has not come up with any credible solutions to rescue the industry so they want to shut out the debate," he said.
The leader of the Fiji National Federation Party, Biman Prasad. Photo: RNZ / Sally Round
