National Federation Party Leader, Professor Biman Prasad says he does not agree with the view of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs that there will not be a conflict of interest when the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji chairs and sits on some of the other boards.
In response, Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum stresses that Fiji as a small economy needs to have the right people in right places and in particular in key economic sectors.
Prasad and Sayed-Khaiyum made these comments while debating on the Review Report on the Reserve Bank of Fiji August 2016–July 2017 Report in parliament.
Prasad says the Governor of the RBF, Ariff Ali is chairing the Sugar Cane Growers Fund, is a member of the Fiji Sugar Corporation Board, Chair of the Accident Compensation Commission and Chair of Major Tenders Board. Ali was also recently appointed as the Chair of the Fiji Roads Authority.
Prasad has questioned what will happen when there is a conflict of interest.
He says the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs while deliberating on the next report should ask the Governor of the RBF on how he is managing the current appointments and the role that he has to play as the Governor of an independent institution.
In response, Sayed-Khaiyum highlighted that the deputy governor of the RBF sits on the Investment Fiji Board and they are building capacity.
Sayed-Khaiyum says that other people from the RBF, including the former Governor, were sitting on various other boards but the opposition does not talk about this.
ADVERTISEMENT
