Former chief executive officer of the Sugar Cane Growers Council Jagannath Sami is the new general secretary of the National Federation Party.

Mr Sami replaces Bala Dass who has resigned to concentrate fully on his role as General Secretary of the Fiji Cane Growers Association, having served as the Party’s chief administrator and organiser for the last two years.

Mr Sami has been appointed by the NFP Management Board, in conformity to a resolution unanimously adopted by delegates at the Party’s Annual General Meeting on July 3, 2017.

The AGM had authorised the Management Board to appoint a fulltime General Secretary to play an integral role in the preparations, implementation of strategies and ensuring compliance with the electoral laws in the lead up to the next general elections scheduled for 2018.

Under the NFP Constitution the President and General Secretary were important positions.

The party was confident that the president Pio Tikoduadua and Mr Sami would form a ‘formidable combination and complement the work of the Party Leader in ensuring success in 2018’.

Mr Sami brings to his new role a wealth of political and administrative experience, the Party said.

He has served through his role in the Fiji Sugar Corporation, Fiji Cane Growers Association and Sugar Cane Growers Council, it said.

Mr Sami served the FSC for 21 years as Field Officer, Traffic Officer and Estate Officer.

He resigned in 1992 to join the Sugar Cane Growers Council as District Manager and later in 2000 was appointed as the chief executive officer.

It was his dream to champion the cause of the farmers, the Party said.

During his 6-year tenure, many services were provided to the cane farmers of Fiji such as legal services, medical insurance, goodwill grants and farm inputs, it said.

The Party also thanked Mr Dass for his voluntary service for the last two years.

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