Chaudhry welcomes sugar portfolio change in Cabinet reshuffle

Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry has welcomed the decision to move Charan Jeath Singh from the sugar portfolio following the Cabinet reshuffle announced on Tuesday.

The reshuffle, published on the Government’s official Facebook page, outlined changes to the portfolios of six Cabinet ministers.

Under the changes, Mr Singh has been reassigned to the Ministry of Public Enterprises, Multi-Ethnic Affairs, Culture, Heritage and Arts.

Earlier this year, Mr Chaudhry — who is also National Farmers Union general secretary — had called for Mr Singh’s removal from the sugar portfolio following an extended shutdown of the Lautoka Sugar Mill caused by a boiler tube leak. At the time, he described the mill’s performance as a “disaster”.

“It’s a relief that he’s been removed from that portfolio,” Mr Chaudhry said yesterday.

However, he also raised concerns about Mr Singh’s new appointment.

“Public Enterprises is a big and important ministry, and the Prime Minister should rethink giving him that portfolio,” he said.

When asked whether concerns frequently raised by sugar industry stakeholders on Mr Singh influenced the change, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka dismissed the suggestion.

“No, it was handled by Government. The Government has a lot of investment in the industry and we need to have it run more efficiently,” Mr Rabuka said.

Mr Chaudhry said there was nothing particularly encouraging about the broader Cabinet reshuffle.

Under the new arrangements, the sugar portfolio has been merged with the Ministry of Agriculture, now overseen by Minister Tomasi Tunabuna.

“We’ll give him a chance first to see how he handles the portfolio,” Mr Chaudhry said.