Issue No: 707; 27 April 2001

In a letter to the editor in today's Fiji Sun Rewa Rice Co. Ltd's Iliasa Senimoli stated that Laisenia Qarase was a director of the Flour Mills of Fiji (FMF) Limited in 1999. The FMF is the parent company of the Rice Company of Fiji.

On usurping power, Qarase removed the rice import quota system thereby immensely enriching the Rice Company of Fiji.

On 24 March, Qarase is quoted by the media as saying that he will decide on the future of the Rewa Rice Ltd once he is given an analysis of the company's performance. Senimoli has demanded that the future of the Rewa Rice Ltd cannot be decided by Qarase. He states: "Given his [Qarase's] interest in Mr. Hari Punja's companies, Mr. Qarase should disqualify himself from making any decision on Rewa Rice Ltd. The future of Rewa Rice Ltd should be left to an elected Prime Minister to decide".

The People's Coalition Government had imposed a quota system to allow Rewa Rice, which buys rice from local farmers, to share in the imported rice market. The move was to ensure that Rewa Rice Company remains financially viable and thereby continue buying rice from local farmers. The move was hailed by rice farmers. But the Rice Company of Fiji, condemned it and began a major exercise to get the government to change the policy, including placing pressure on the government through the Australian Government.

The family of ethnic Indian businessman Hari Punja has substantial interests in the FMF and the Rice Company of Fiji Ltd.

Military sources have alleged that some ethnic Indian businessman were involved in plotting the 1999 coup. Rumours are rife that Punja's name tops the list of alleged financiers of the terrorists which took the government hostage last year.