Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry has raised the question on why Fiji Airways Chief Executive Andre Viljoen has been appointed as Chairman of the Board of Fiji Development Bank by the Minister for Economy when Viljoen’s company is the borrower from FDB.
Chaudhry says the appointment is highly questionable and even unethical as there is a conflict of interest.
He says Fiji Airways has just borrowed $75 million from FDB as part of the government-guaranteed loan of $455 million.
Chaudhry says the loan was facilitated by the Reserve Bank of Fiji as the FDB itself did not have sufficient funds to lend this huge sum. He says the terms of this loan have not been disclosed as with the other loan to the airline by FNPF.
The FLP Leader is asking why are the terms not being disclosed and where is the transparency in these deals.
Chaudhry says in next to no time, Andre Viljoen, an outsider, gets appointed as the Bank’s chairman taking preference over the other sitting Board members.
He says we have a preposterous situation where Viljoen is now both the borrower as well as the lender.
Chaudhry has also asked the Minister for Economy whether he does not have confidence in the abilities and expertise of our own people.
Fijivillage has sent questions and called the Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Fiji Airways and FDB.
Sayed-Khaiyum is yet to respond. Fiji Airways and FDB have referred all queries regarding the appointment to the appointing authority. Robert Lyon was the previous Chairman of FDB.
