In a bold editorial published today, the paper stated:

"It is often - and rightly - said that the biggest constraint on reform and progress in Fiji's sugar industry is politics."

"The recent Sugar Cane Growers Council elections illustrate the difficulties confronting this vital industry."

"While it's true that where you have elections you have politics, these election have been hijacked by the politicians."

"The National Federation Party backs the Fiji Cane Growers Association while the National Farmers Union is a client of the Fiji Labour Party."

"The election was bitterly contested and was seen by many, probably wrongly, as a vital indicator of the mood in the cane fields in the run-up to the August elections."

"Indeed, some would-be politicians have been waiting for the outcome of the sugar elections before deciding which party to stand for in August."

"In the event, the sugar elections result may not tell them what they want to know. A low turnout by farmers can't be expected to offer a reliable gauge of public opinion."

"Nevertheless, the cane farmers emphatically endorsed the National Farmers Union and, by extension, the Fiji Labour Party, in a free and fair vote."

"The NFU has 21 seats to the FCGA's 16 with one independent possibly aligned to the latter."

"The bickering over close results will drag on for some time with possible court action that will take even longer."

"But what is clear is that a large majority of cane farmers prefer to be represented by the NFU led by deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry."

"The Government, however, is having none of this."

"It has used its power to appoint eight members to the council as a means of thwarting the will of the farmers as expressed in a fair poll."

"The Government's nominees are plainly partisan in any political sense."

"Some were rejected by the voters only to be appointed by the Government."

"Where is the fairness? What about democracy?"

"The Government that now seeks elections under the banner of a yet another new party would do well to bear in mind that people do not enjoy seeing their democratic decisions overturned by an unelected regime."

"This will have repercussions for the Government when the real votes are counted in August."

"But in all of this senseless politicking one thing has been largely overlooked - the state of the sugar industry."

People's Coalition Government - Fiji Islands
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Last update: August 27, 2001