I can reliably inform readers that there IS a figure - albeit a closely-guarded one - for the budget blowout occasioned by Frank Bainimarama's latest play project, more widely known as the 5th December 2006 Fiji Coup.
The figure was passed on to your humble correspondent a few weeks ago. But since then I have managed to get it double-checked. And I mean "double checked" quite literally because I have authenticated the original figure through two additional and quite independent sources.
And I should stress that my sources in this case are impeccable.
Altogether, I have three independent sources telling me exactly the same thing that the RFMF's budget has been exceeded by $40 million.
Yes! The figure is FORTY MILLION FIJIAN DOLLARS!
Now, depending on who you believe, that represents at least 50 per cent of this year's RFMF budget (the official RFMF budget figure is $75 million, but my sources say it's actually $80-million).
So there it is - the reason why, since the coup, there are more electricity blackouts, water supply hiccups, unfilled potholes, unpaid flood victims, etc. etc.
To put it simply, the government's piggy bank is emptying at an alarming rate. And the huge blowout in the RFMF budget is the main reasoin.
The financial demands of mobilizing the RFMF for the Public Emergency Regulations the PER (I use the official-speak for "pointing a gun at Fiji's head") were clearly huge. And with overall declining revenues, especially from tourism-generated tax revenue, the IG's warning bells must be howling - if they actually KNOW or CARE, that is.
Congratulations Frank! You've done it again!
CASSANDRA
- INTELLIGENT RESISTANCE -
Free. Fair. Fearless. Intelligentsiya is made up of Fiji Islanders who are libertarians in their own way and who cherish the free flow of news, ideas and information and will peacefully resist any attempts by the country's military rulers to stifle free speech. intelligentsiya will also bear witness, report and discuss human rights abuses by the authorities.
2 comments:
Gossip has been confirmed.
Now after elections and before the disbandment of FICAC, the elected Govt should try the whole bang lot of the IG including those in the Military Council under FICAC prosecutorial provisions so they can receive a taste of their own medicine.
Could this be a reason why senior officers are being deployed into the civil service seeing that they earn the biggest salary packages this might help them (Military) cushion the "bust their budget" blow by getting other civil service ministries to absorb these costs. Probably just a small reason but nevertheless $40mil of tax dollars.Can't wait for the next auditor general's report.
Post a Comment