Bainimarama Slams Fiji Water

So. The illegal and treasonous military regime lay their cards on the table.

They already have someone/s in mind waiting to take-over from Fiji Water. 

Prepare for battle Bainimarama & Co -- you don't f*** around with the big ol' US of A. Already you're in the cross-hairs of Time Mag, New York Observer and of course Mother Jones.

We're thinking retaliation targetting the much protected tourism industry and trade dispute haul-ups to the WTO (protectionism much Punjas?) will be rolled out in due course.

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From: "Minfonews" <news@info.gov.fj>

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:02:30 +1300

To: Minfonews<news@info.gov.fj>

Subject: PRIME MINISTER ON FIJI WATER CLOSURE

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
MEDIA RELEASE

(Monday, November 30th, 2010, No:2032 /PMO)

PRIME MINISTER ON FIJI WATER CLOSURE

In response to the media statement by Fiji Water, the Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama  has said that, ‘The Fiji Government  remains firmly committed to both international and local investment in Fiji. However, if Fiji Water no longer wants to operate in Fiji, it must inform the Director of Lands and Yaqara Pastoral Company Limited from whom Fiji Water has leased lands.”

The Prime Minister said that “as usual Fiji Water has adopted tactics that demonstrate that Fiji Water does not care about Fiji or Fijians. They have made statements about supposed instability in Fiji and know it is not true, yet do so because they simply do not want to pay the new taxes.”

The Prime Minister  said that “Fiji Water has had a corporate tax holiday since its inception until only two years ago; it has paid less than a million dollars in total corporate tax and only in the past two years (2008 and 2009); it receives approximately $FJ 4-5 million in VAT refund annually given it is export- driven;  despite being a premium boutique water product, it declares the selling price of a carton of water  at $US4 when at the same time other relatively unknown brands from Fiji like Aqua Pacific declare their selling price to the US market at $US10 a carton; Fiji Water sells its water to a US sister company and therefore is engaged in transfer pricing.  These are the facts pertaining to Fiji Water.” 

The Prime Minister said that “the positive feedback from the recent Fiji-Australia, Australia-Fiji, NZ-Fiji and Fiji-NZ business councils meetings, the positive feedback on the Budget and the new investment inflows and interest is indicative of the affirmation of and confidence in Fiji and the Fijian economy by the private sector.”

 The Prime Minister  said that if Fiji Water is no longer interested in Fiji then the Fijian Government, following cancellation of the leases, “will call for international tenders from credible and reputable private sector companies to extract this valuable resource.”

 

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