Minister for Sugar Industry, Charan Jeath Singh says people from the Fiji Sugar Corporation have been fired for corrupt practices and the matters have been handed to police.
In a press conference earlier today, Singh says a former lime supplier to FSC who was giving quality lime had invested a lot of money and had installed liquid lime tanks at the Lautoka Port for lime coming from Japan.
He alleges they had tankers delivering to the Lautoka Sugar Mill and then suddenly his contract was terminated and given to someone else who, according to FSC, was supplying lime at a cheaper price.
The Minister says when the analysis took place, they found out that the quality of liquid lime by the new supplier was substandard.
Singh says while the price was cheaper, they were allegedly paying 5 times more for the substandard lime.
He alleges the procurement officer messaged the original contractor and asked for a TV and BBQ lamb chops in return for putting them back as the contractor.
Singh says the man was fired and the matter handed to the authorities.
The Minister says there is another investigation ongoing while there are other field officers and farm advisors who are not performing in the farm but asking for favours from the farmers.
Questions have been sent to the police.
They are yet to respond.
