Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says former Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry may be bitter about what Fiji Airways has achieved after realizing an objective Chaudhry himself had talked about in 2008 however Chaudhry has said that he would never have risked the airline’s long term financial viability under his watch.

While speaking in parliament yesterday, Sayed-Khaiyum said the former Finance Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry had said in 2008 that the then Air Pacific should modernise its fleet and explore new destinations but is now saying that Fiji Airways was overly ambitious pre-COVID-19.

While responding to Sayed-Khaiyum’s comments, Chaudhry says his observations in 2008 on Air Pacific’s need to modernise it’s fleet and undertake route extension was valid at that time, but not at the cost of putting the airline’s long term financial viability on the line.

Chaudhry says the fact remains that the government had to pay $18 million a year for routes like Singapore when Fiji Airways started flying there, which he would have never allowed.

Chaudhry says there is no truth about him being bitter about what Fiji Airways has achieved, and he says he would have handled the situation better.

Fiji Airways facing the pandemic and lies from the opposition - AG

SODELPA and NFP say there is no transparency

By: Naveel Krishant

Attorney General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says Fiji Airways is the only airline in the world that is contending with two crisis, one the COVID-19 pandemic and the other one is what he calls the lies from the opposition however the opposition says there is no transparency.

While giving his ministerial statement on Fiji Airways, Sayed-Khaiyum says it is malicious, unforgivable, unpatriotic and should never be forgotten.

Sayed-Khaiyum has asked people who are attacking the airline to put their egos aside and imagine a Fiji without Fiji Airways with air travel at the mercy of foreign airlines and fares in and out of Fiji would shoot through the roof.

He says the New Zealand government’s loan to Air New Zealand airline has not turned into a political issue.

He says supporting the national carrier is an issue when only Fiji does it.

Sayed-Khaiyum adds only in Fiji the opposition fights them for doing what must be done to save the national airline.

He says it is shameful that the opposition is saying sell Fiji Airways to Qantas or bring them back or sell to Air New Zealand.

Meanwhile, SODELPA MP Ro Filipe Tuisawau says it is not clear if the new aircraft are leased or purchased.

He also says why cannot FNPF disclose their terms of loan to Fiji Airways.

NFP Leader, Professor Biman Prasad says it is unfortunate the Attorney General is attacking people who raised legitimate questions including Mahendra Chaudhry who is not in parliament to defend himself.

Prasad says the opposition agreed to support the loan guarantee to Fiji Airways with good intention, but the company sacked the workers straight after that.

He adds that last week, he sent his staff to the Companies Office and they spent 4 hours there and only found 3 copies of annual financial statements.

Prasad asks where are the other copies.

Fiji Airways has said that all their audited financial statements upto 2018 are with the Registrar of Companies Office. The company says the 2019 audited accounts is expected to be filed soon.