“We are ready to defend ourselves”.
That is the comment of Industry and Trade Permanent Secretary Shaheen Ali who confirmed that government is looking forward to justify to the United States Government why Fiji should continue benefitting from the US Generalized System of Preferences Scheme.
Ali said they are planning to engage in a bilateral dialogue process.
Ali said on 2nd October they will be attending a public hearing to give further written submissions and have more dialogues in this regard.
While highlighting that 39 Fijian companies and 15,000 jobs will be lost if Fiji is removed from the scheme Ali said unions should be fully responsible for their actions.
However, Fiji Trades Union Congress National Secretary Felix Anthony highlighted that the government is in a position to prevent Fiji's withdrawal from the GSP scheme.
He said certain decrees imposed by government have violated workers and Trade Union rights.
The US Trade Representative in Washington DC announcement in June that Fiji together with Iraq would be listed for General System of Preferences (GSP) hearings to examine whether the GSP for exports from Fiji should be withdrawn.
Ali has stated that the Fiji Trade Union Congress (FTUC) and other unions want to stop Fiji from benefitting from the US GSP Scheme which allows duty free excess into the US imports from developing countries.
Story by: Ronal Deo, Sofaia Koroitanoa and William Waqavakatoga
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We are ready to defend ourselves-Ali
