Social Democratic Liberal Party leader Sitiveni Rabuka is also calling urgently for an investigation into the running of the Grace Road Group.

The Grace Road Group of companies runs dozens of businesses in Fiji employing at least 300 Koreans and 100 locals.

Fiji Trades Union Congress National Secretary Felix Anthony said the case had exposed local immigration and labour authorities.

Anthony said it was not the only company that was bringing in foreign workers.

"Work permits are issued willy-nilly despite the fact that we have workers in Fiji who could do [that] work and we have people unemployed in this country. So it's all about cheap labour."

Rabuka claimed that since 2014, the church had established a group of at least eight limited liability companies in Fiji.

He also claimed that the group's construction arm was carrying out refurbishment of the official residences and executive office of two high Fijian Government officials.

"It is also interesting that in October 2017, after only three years in Fiji, the Grace Road Group was awarded the Prime Minister's International Business Award supported by the governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji.

"The award was given on the premise that the company demonstrated innovative farming methods, passion and a strong desire for quality leading to excellence."

The six members of the Grace Road Church in Fiji were detained after its founder, Shin Ok-Joo, was arrested in Seoul for enslavement.

They have subsequently been released without charge after the intervention of the Attorney General's office.

Source

• radionz.co.nz
• radionz.co.nz
• fijtimes
• Image: fijisun.com.fj

Earlier the Prime Minister of Fiji, Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, has accused Rabuka of involving the Methodist church in politics.

He was commenting after a SODELPA thanksgiving service for the party leader took place at the Imanueli Methodist Church in Nadera.

Bainimarama told FijiVilliage "first it was the SVT [Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei] and now it is SODELPA."

The Methodist Church says that the SODELPA thanksgiving service was not part of its regular core worship service.

Bhagwan said Rabuka did not preach or deliver a sermon but only spoke to the congregation after the service.

He said the Methodist Church allows different groups of people to have their church service at their churches and this was no different.

SVT, sometimes known in English as Fijian Political Party, was a party which dominated politics in the 1990s and was the mainstay of coalition governments from 1992 to 1999.

FijiVillage reported that Bainimarama said this is "1987 all over again."

And he had repeated his comments about Rabuka, saying that no matter how many times the snake sheds its skin it will always remain a snake.

Rabuka said that this is not 1987, it is 2016 and they are gearing up for change in 2018.

He said he did not organise the party's thanksgiving service. Rabuka said that he was only invited to the church service and it was a thanksgiving service for the party leader.

He said that he had to respond to the words of welcome which is normal in a church service and he also put the word out about the party as it was a SODELPA church service.

Source

• fijisun.com
• fijivillage.com
• Image: 3.bp.blogspot.com

League president Hafizud Khan said Muslims around the country shared the same concern that, as Fijian troops were serving in a peacekeeping capacity under UN mandate, any harm or hostile captivity of such personnel should not have happened.

"The Fijian peacekeepers have served gallantly and peacefully over the years in many locations and their dedication to peacekeeping a neutral science, in the line of their duty is depictive of the kindness, friendliness and generosity for which Fijians are recognised all over the world," he said.

Mr Khan said Fiji Muslims would pray that good sense prevailed and all efforts being made by responsible bodies would yield positive results.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at Fiji's national secretary Aleem Shahhas also expressed deep sorrow and sadness at the act of terrorism in Golan Heights.

Mr Shah said the formation of terrorist groups such as al-Nusra, taking peacekeepers as hostage and killing innocent people was not condoned by Islam.

He said it was neither the teaching of Islam as preached and practised by the Prophet Muhammad.

"All the members of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at Fiji are reminded to pray for the safety of our countrymen in their daily prayers," he said.

On Sunday of the Then India Sanmarga Ikya Sangam had a special nationwide prayer today for the 45 Fijian soldiers held captive in Syria.

The prayer was held in all three of the Sangam temples in Suva, Nadi and Labasa.

Last Thursday Fiji's army chief Brigadier-General Mosese Tikoitoga dismissed as "sick" a suggestion by former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka that the Pacific nation's Muslim minority will face a backlash if 45 UN peacekeepers taken hostage by Islamic rebels in the Golan Heights are harmed.

On Wednesday, in an interview on Radio New Zealand International Rabuka had said Fiji's Muslim community could face a serious backlash if the peacekeepers were harmed by al-Nusra.

Rabuka subsequently insisted that his comments about a possible backlash against Muslims over the fate of captured UN peacekeepers had been misinterpreted.

"If (General Tikoitoga) had listened to the full interview, he would know that I was calling for firm and compassionate leadership at this difficult time," he told Radio Australia.

On Saturday Tikoitoga confirmed that the al-Nusra front had pulled out from negotiations with the United Nations after giving its demand.

On Tuesday Tikoitoga said the al-Nusra Front has made three demands for the release of the peacekeepers:

• It wants to be taken off the UN terrorist list;
• That humanitarian aid be delivered to parts of the Syrian capital of Damascus
• Compensation for three of its fighters who, it claims, were killed in a shootout with UN officers.

He said the UN is expecting the rebels to come back to the table very soon.

Source

• The Fiji Times
• Radio Australia International
• Radio Australia International
• The Fiji Times
• The Fiji Times
• The Times of Israel
• Image: Sydney Morning Herald