Raw Fiji News

Who is this man Aisea Katonivere?

The latest joke in the sugar industry is the appointment of Ratu Aisea Katonievere as a FSC Board member.

Here are the facts about this man.

1. As Tui Macuata this man has not done anything for his Vanua and the ordinary Fijians. After taking over from his father, the highly respected chief Ratu Soso Katonivere who truly cared for his people, Aisea has lived only for himself and his immediate family. Ordinary Fijians regard him as an opportunist lacking in integrity and principles.

2. He has no moral qualms about transferring his allegiance to whoever is in power to suit his selfish interests and to fund his lavish lifestyle. He has courted the Qarase, Chaudhry and now the Bainimara government with unashamed opportunism. Nothing matters to him as he lives only for himself.

3. Under Qarase, he got the government to fund the Methodist Conference in his province at Naduri village, which included the construction of many houses and a grand meeting house to accommodate the conference participants. He also obtained a 100% FDB loan to finance some massive property investments in Labasa without a cents equity of his own.

4. His portfolio of some $2 million includes recent acquisitions from a Labasa timber dealer, an 18,000 sq feet multi storey office complex worth $1.25 million which is rented to government at about 25% above market rate (rental $300,000) , the Labasa Court house (rental $ 85,000) and several residential properties in Delailabasa. There is very grave concerns that he will not be able to repay those loans and that FDB has already made provisions to write it off.

5. Using EU funds, he also got a 3 phase power connected to Naduri village from Tabia about 25 kilometres away by FEA.

6. When Chaudry was PM, Aisea conned him to include him in the delegation to Malaysia and Indonesia. He has not undertaken a single community project to uplift and improve the lifestyles of his people since he got back. Rumour has it that the trip was all about a good junket for him at the taxpayers expense.

7. He has not ever done a honest day’s work in his life and has lived on the charity and sacrifices of his Vanua and its poor people. He drives big 4 wheel drive luxury vehicles, eats imported foods, and revels in best wine while his people struggle to even afford tapioca and tea.

8. His 4 children study in NZ with all the luxury, comfort, security and opportunities, while his poor people cannot even send their children to the local primary school. They have no money for their books, food , and busfare and struggle without any future hope or opportunity.

9. Is this what chiefly responsibilities is all about? Where is the duty of share and care, and true leadership for the welfare of the ordinary and the poor. What happened to those chiefly values and principles that Ratu Soso was so widely endeared and respected for ?

10. Worse still he is now known to terrorise Indian fishermen by illegally and forcefully extorting as much as $1000 per fishing boat. He has siezed many fishing boats and grabbed their entire catch. He has set up a fish depot at Naduri entirely on the basis of this unlawful activities. He has now decreed that 50% of all catch be given to him and many hundreds of Indian fisherman are living under his tyranny without any recourse to justice and protection. .

11. This matter has been reported to the Police but he has conspired with them to avoid any prosecution.

12. Now he has been appointed FSC director. What expertise and skills he will contribute, nobody knows because he knows nothing about cane farming or business.

13. The only thing he can do is to further entrench corruption, inefficiency and mismanagement in the sugar industry and help GautamBud Swarup to bleed it completely to its death.