Transcript
The police said they shut down the three-day sugar industry forum two weeks ago because the organisers had no permit to hold the event. But the non-government organisation Dialogue Fiji says it's now been given a permit and has rescheduled the forum for next week. Its executive director Nilesh Lal says the granting of the permit comes after discussions with the government and police.
NILESH LAL: After the issue of the stopping of the forum was publicised I got calls from the Prime Minister's office and they actually expressed disappointment over the fact that the forum had been stopped and also wanted to ascertain who in government gave those orders. And then subsequently we have been in constant communication with police.
Nilesh Lal says dialogue is needed to find solutions to problems facing the sugar industry. But Fiji's Council of Trade Unions general secretary Attar Singh says the conditions in the permit for the meeting will make it difficult to discuss the issues.
ATTAR SINGH: Discussions must not be defamatory, it must not be inciteful and it must not be provocative. Now I can't understand how discussions on an issue that touches around 200,000 people can not be provocative and interesting. It seems that the government is trying to thwart discussions of any kind on the industry and to keep its voice up and the loudest.
However, Nilesh Lal says the issues relating to sugar should not stray into politics. He says they will have forum moderators who will try to enable useful debate while avoiding content that could be viewed as inciteful.
NILESH LAL: We should be able to hold discussions on the topic and not go into any matter which can be construed as inciteful or provocative. However as you know what those terms actually mean are not exactly defined so that's a little bit problematic.
But for Attar Singh, who was arrested earlier this month following a meeting on the constitution, the issues facing the sugar industry are highly political. He says legislation the government is proposing for the industry will reduce the power of growers, and give greater control to the Sugar Minister Frank Bainimarama and the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation.
ATTAR SINGH: FSC will be in control of harvesting and all of those sort of things and delivery and the Minister will decide what price of cane should be paid. Farmers would have no say. Now if that happens this will encourage further exodus of farmers from the industry. It will eventually result in further drop in production and I think if it continues without amendments of the sort that we are seeking the industry is doomed.
Nilesh Lal says ministry officials have been invited to attend the forum but have yet to confirm if they will be there.
