Minister Subject Of Tuna Corruption Investigationff

Fiji Police are investigating allegations of corruption against a cabinet minister and public servants in his ministry, in regard to issuing tuna fishing licenses.

Radio Fiji says the police aren’t releasing much information, except to say that they’re awaiting additional information from a public service commission investigation into the involvement of public servants in a tuna fisheries scam.

The probe was sparked off by a statutory declaration issued by a former constituency campaign manager of the ruling SDL party, Ledua Kesi.

In the statement, Kesi has cited a government minister and his civil servants for corruption in giving tuna fishing licenses in return for cash from an Asian businessman.

Kesi says in one incident, a license application was rejected by a very senior officer, but was later approved after the businessman sent him to the same official with an envelope of cash.

Kesi, who was an employee of the Asian businessman at the time, says the official instructed that two licenses be issued immediately without scrutiny from the committee which normally approves licenses.