September 21, 2012

FTUC denies GSP claims


07:01 Today (21 September 2012)
Report by: Christopher Chand

The Fiji Trades Union Congress has denied having anything to do with the United States Generalized System of Preferences scheme.

The government has lashed out at the FTUC saying it’s trying to jeopardise Fiji’s trade relations with the US.

Unionist Daniel Urai claims Fiji is under scrutiny because of Decrees brought in by the government.

Urai says the government needs to meet international standards which – according to the FTUC – are compromised by some Decrees.

A petition is now with the US government calling for Fiji to be removed from the GSP which provides special preferences for trade with smaller countries like Fiji.

But according to the Trade Ministry, the FTUC doesn’t care about the impact of their actions on everyday Fijians.

Trade permanent secretary Shaheen Ali says up to fifty million dollars, fifteen thousand jobs and over thirty companies are at risk, if Fiji loses out on the GSP scheme.


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