Energy Fiji Ltd (EFL) has issued a statement denying allegations that it hurried to initiate court proceedings against a union leader following a strike notice. The company clarified that the legal actions are unrelated to industrial concerns and were set in motion weeks prior to the strike notice issued by the Construction, Energy & Timber Workers Union of Fiji (CETWUF).
In a released statement, EFL refuted reports claiming that the company acted promptly “barely a week” after the strike notice, labeling these reports as misleading. EFL general manager for Human Resources, Randhir Charan, stated that the defamation case currently being heard in the Lautoka High Court was filed on December 24, 2025, well before the union’s strike notice was issued.
Charan explained that the case pertains to alleged defamatory remarks made by John Paul, the union’s national secretary, which were said to harm the reputations of EFL’s chief executive officer and the general manager for Human Resources. He emphasized that this defamation case is distinct from the employment conditions or workplace issues being raised by the union.
Additionally, Charan indicated that the industrial issues presented by CETWUF are already under consideration by the Arbitration Court, documented under Trade Dispute No. 4 of 2025, and have also been detailed in a Notice of Secret Ballot issued by the union in August 2025.
EFL has made repeated requests for Mr. Paul to apologize and retract his statements but noted that it received no response. Therefore, the company felt compelled to pursue legal action. As the case awaits a determination from the court, EFL urged its staff to remain cooperative throughout the legal process. Attempts to reach Mr. Paul for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
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