The Shove... and the lack of paisa.

Ni Sa Bula,

I write this as I read posts and media articles of the march in Sydney of people opposed to the illegal junta in Fiji.

The shove has begun.

There were hints of this happening, and rumours that it was going to come. The push has been going on for a long time...lets see....

1. Illegal removal of a democratically elected government
2. Illegal imprisonment, torture, and killing of Fiji civilians
3. Increasing cost of living
4. Devaluation of the Fiji dollar
5. Lack of funds in the public coffers

Whilst on that 5th point...has anyone noticed that the FNPF is now making things so much harder to the contributors (you, me and anyone who has that "8%" deducted from their pay) to access their money? When you call their helpline and ask, you get all this crap about how they are trying to help us save for our retirement.

Now, if you are withdrawing for education, the limit is $2000 per term/semester. If your fees are over $2000 ( for USP students, this is a very likely scenario), then you need to fork out the balance from your pocket, or forgo some units/subjects. You cannot withdraw for anoyone outside your immediate family. I'd bet my FNPF savings ( whatever is left there now) that this regime is bleeding it dry as we speak/type etc etc.... looks like we could have the makings of a financial collapse that would dwarf the NBF saga.

Also, while on this, anyone tried going through the list of FNPF members with unclaimed monies in the Fiji Times? I tried, and it was a chore...with all the names jumbled up, and even some like "Viliame"... I mean come on !!!! Viliame????? I think there would be a couple of hundred of them in the FNPF member listings... then it struck me.....

What if this was merely to lay the groundwork for the FNPF to seize this money for reuse elsewhere? If our money really safe? Will we have something waiting there for our retirement? If not......

In case you think this is one lone opinion, here are two articles from the Fiji Times (pre-censorship of course, when the news was the truth, and Fiji TV ran 1 hr 6pm news bulletins as opposed to the 20 min/40min split with Mr. Bean).

Coup Wolves circling FNPF - by one Wadan Narsey (kudos to you man)
29 Questions to the FNPF - Sophie Foster

I've also downloaded the pages and will post them online, when (not if) the censors (Ms Tora I believe..) at FT get them removed.

While on the subject of money going missing, the Unit Trust of Fiji has been sluggish in it's response to unit sales. People who try to cash out cannot get their checks the same day, and in some cases, are even told that they cannot take the whole amount at once. You try to take money out, especially if it's a big amount, it gets split into multiple checks, with excuses like "the signatories weren't available to sign the check" but hang on... didn't they just sign the previous one????

All in all, while you can, save wherever you can, preferably overseas. Also, don't invest (well, not in the UTOF or Fijian Holdings UT for that matter), and try your damndest to withdraw whatever you can from the FNPF, before the thieves get their mitts on your paisa. After all, you might as well use of saqamoli's before they do.

God bless Fiji
FijianBlack