The Interim Attorney General and NCBBF member, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has come out in defense of holding the NCBBF Public Forums to consult with the people about the draft People's Charter following strong criticisms from a NCBBF member and a Suva lawyer.
Sayed-Khaiyum said the forums they've attended so far have had a good turnout.
This is in reaction to Nasinu Mayor, Rajeshwar Kumar's comments to Fijivillage News that the NCBBF secretariat is disorganized which resulted in the poor turnout at the public forum at Rishikul Sanatan College on Monday night adding that it is a waste of tax payers money.
Kumar said only four or five Nasinu residents took part in the forum organized on Monday night and it’s a shame that out of more than 100,000 residents, only a handful were present.
Ousted Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase said that tax dollars will still be wasted if there are more public forums or house to house visits to inform people about the Draft Charter.
However, the National Federation Party President Raman Pratap Singh said it is abit late for Kumar to be saying that public forums are a waste of money.
However, Transparency International Fiji Chairperson, Suliana Siwatibau agrees with Kumar that the Forums are a waste of money adding that the Draft Charter process has not been transparent from the beginning.
Meanwhile, NCBBF member, Adi Finau Tabakaucoro has reacted strongly to Kumar's statements, saying that he should think twice about continuing with the NCBBF if he disagrees with how the NCBBF is doing its work.
Feature
Interim AG Defends Public Forums