Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has made it clear that there is no government endorsement for the Fijians Helping Fiji Cooperative Limited.
Although the Chairman of the Cooperative Ratu Meli Vesikula claimed last week that they are working with the government from last year, Bainimarama said this is misleading.
When asked by Fijivillage, Bainimarama said the government will not support any organization that is going around and asking people for their savings.
The Prime Minister also said that the worrying thing is that the Methodist Church has allegedly endorsed the group.
He said he has been told that a Methodist Church minister is allegedly going around as the group’s spokesman.
Bainimarama said he did not meet with the cooperative officials when they tried to meet with him at the Government Buildings to get the government’s endorsement.
Fijivillage has been informed that some Methodist Church members have become members of the cooperative after paying for their membership.
When questioned by Fijivillage, Methodist Church General Secretary Reverend Epineri Vakadewavosa said the church has not officially endorsed the project.
Reverend Vakadewavosa said the involvement of a church minister does not mean that the church has endorsed the project.
He said the church minister is acting in his capacity as a private citizen.
Meanwhile, the Fijians Helping Fiji Cooperative Limited said it is undeterred by media reports that the American organization which has been working with the cooperative, was under investigation by the FBI late last year.
The cooperative was formed last year and gets $120 membership from interested people who can then sell their agricultural produce to the cooperative which is exported to the US.
Ratu Meli Vesikula said there is nothing sinister about their business and no one has been arrested after the FBI investigation.
When questioned on the total revenue received by the cooperative, Vesikula said he cannot reveal those details.
He only said that they have 6,000 members in Fiji so far and the numbers continue to increase.
Vesikula said those who have paid their $120 are already getting their returns.
