Fiji’s Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration, Pio Tikoduadua has offered to temporarily step aside from his role.
This after the discovery of possible unauthorised issuance of passports to the children of individuals associated with the Grace Road human rights allegations.
In a statement he said there has been the possible unauthorised issuance of passports to the children of individuals associated with the Grace Road human rights allegations.
Tikoduadua said these passports appear to have been issued without his knowledge and without the approval of the Permanent Secretary.
“To uphold the principles of transparency and accountability, I have offered to temporarily step aside from my role as Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration pending the outcome of this investigation.”
“I believe that this action is necessary to ensure the inquiry is conducted impartially and without any perception of undue influence from my office.”
Tikoduadua added he has communicated his decision to the Prime Minister and await his guidance on this matter.
“My commitment is to the people of Fiji and to maintaining the highest standards of governance.”’
“’I assure you that I will fully cooperate with the investigation and work towards restoring any trust that may have been compromised.”
“I understand the concern this issue may cause, and I am dedicated to resolving it promptly and transparently. Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses,” said Tikoduadua.
Meanwhile, the Grace Road Group is rejecting what it describes as baseless media reports and biased accusations, that has tarnished its reputation.
In response, the company has announced a halt to its new business expansion projects plans.
The Group said the decision to pause future business activities comes as the organisation is already grappling with legal proceedings, including the detention of its key members.
They also cited ongoing legal challenges and media scrutiny as key factors influencing this decision.
According to the Group, they have invested hundreds of millions of dollars into Fiji’s economy and provided close to 900 jobs, contributing millions in taxes annually.
They have expressed concern and described the media as ‘toxic’.
According to the Grace Road Group, recent reports, including one from a local newspaper have unnecessarily dragged the organisation’s name into personal family matters, damaging its public image.
Earlier this week, one of the dailies highlighted that a woman who was a member of the church claimed that she escaped last week.
According to that media organisation, the woman claimed that she was physically beaten up and other workers also go through the same form of punishment.
Responding to the report, Grace Road has refuted the claims highlighting that the specific case in question involves a family dispute within the Grace Road community.
Grace Road has claimed that this was exploited by the media for sensationalism.
The group emphasised that it had stayed out of the issue, allowing the family to address their differences privately but was disappointed when the media chose to sensationalise the matter and place undue focus on the Grace Road Church.
Also, Grace Road has refuted claims of alleged mistreatment of elderly members on the Group’s Navua farm and labeled the report as highly sensationalised.
Grace Road Group has rejected these claims, pointing out that no further investigation by the police was conducted and that the initial report lacked evidence.
Despite the setbacks, including legal battles and the ongoing detention of the group’s president, Grace Road stated that it remains committed to its operations in Fiji, but the statement made it clear that ongoing challenges have made it increasingly difficult to move forward with business expansion.
The Group said that the misinformation, legal entanglements, and negative press can have far-reaching consequences on business operations and foreign investors are not immune to the challenges presented by a complicated media landscape.
