Former Prime Minister and Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry claims the National Economic Summit is structured to deliver a pre-planned outcome they will not be party to a rubber-stamping exercise of Government’s own agenda.
Chaudhry said he was invited as general secretary of the National Farmers Union in March to attend the Summit but he declined the invitation as submissions were not sought from interested stakeholders to assist with the formulation of policies affecting particular sectors of the economy.
“Judging from the agenda, it is clear the Summit is structured to deliver a pre-planned outcome by confining discussions in the Thematic Working Groups (TWG) to be centred around the official strategy papers.”
“For the Communique to be issued within minutes of the presentation of TWG reports, speaks for itself.”
“This approach is neither acceptable nor inclusive and limits participants from fully expressing their own opinions on the subjects under discussion,” Chaudhry said.
He added that the Fiji Labour Party did not receive an invitation to the Summit until much later via an email sent at 1am on Saturday15 April.
