The Fiji Bus Operators Association (FBOA) is demanding the resignation of Fiji Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) CEO Joel Abraham, citing unfairness and prolonged delays in addressing bus industry issues.
FBOA President Richard Lal stated that the FCCC has failed to respond to or resolve issues that the Association has raised, some of which should have been resolved over a year ago.
Lal mentioned that the FCCC CEO is neglecting to address outstanding matters agreed upon by the Government, including reversing the 50 percent discount on school children’s bus fares, a cost bus operators have shouldered for more than 50 years. The Government has agreed to pay this as part of its social responsibility.
“The FCCC’s chief executive should resign due to his ineffectiveness. Despite confirmations and approvals by ministers that this reversal would take effect from 1 August 2024, the FCCC CEO has not announced this change and continues to remain silent,” Lal said.
“FCCC cannot require bus operators to offer a 50 percent discount on bus fares for students since bus companies are privately owned, and such support is the state’s social responsibility.”
Lal also accused Abraham of failing to rectify a VAT adjustment error that has financially burdened bus operators for over a year. He noted that bus operators won’t recover the losses from this VAT error due to poor decisions by the FCCC, suggesting that Abraham is targeting the industry.
The FBOA has a legal case against the previous Government concerning the inability to appeal FCCC decisions. The Coalition Government has agreed to settle this by removing a clause in the FCCC’s legislation that prevents any review of its decisions.
“The so-called ouster clause prevents anybody from challenging FCCC’s verdicts, no matter how unfair,” Lal said. “FCCC or any other entity is not above the law, and it is concerning that in a democratic country, we have an undemocratic clause in the FCCC Act.”