The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, has issued a warning of legal action against the Fiji Labour Party unless Mahendra Chaudhry provides an apology and reasonable compensation. This ultimatum follows Chaudhry’s questioning of accountability regarding a $200,000 grant given for Girmit celebrations to an organization that had been discredited, where his wife and a close political associate were trustees.
Chaudhry stated that he had received a communication from Prasad’s lawyers, Sherani & Co., requesting the removal of all references related to the Girmit funding and Prasad’s alleged involvement from the Labour Party’s website, claiming such posts are “false and defamatory.” He confirmed that the matter is being handled by their legal team.
“Such threats will not prevent us from seeking accountability regarding the $200,000 allocated to an organization that was deregistered in 2022 due to its failure to present audited accounts and annual reports since 2017,” Chaudhry emphasized. He further raised concerns about other payments supposedly made to close associates of the Minister that require clarification.
Chaudhry recalled the government’s earlier commitment to publicly release detailed accounts related to the funding amid the controversy surrounding it last year. “Eighteen months on, we are still waiting for those audited accounts to be disclosed. The Labour Party will persist in its demand for transparency and accountability,” he said.
He underscored that the public deserves an explanation regarding these issues to ensure accountability and transparency. Additionally, he highlighted the irregularities in how the funds for the 2023 Girmit celebrations were reportedly distributed and called for a detailed account of the disbursement to individuals and organizations involved.