Ousted Opposition Leader Mick Beddoes stressed that Interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry should be sacked over the imposition of a new duty on bottled water products.
Speaking to Fijivillage from New Zealand, Beddoes said the move by Chaudhry has put hundreds of workers’ jobs and livelihoods at risk.
When questioned about Chaudhry's comments that it is time to charge bottling companies for using Fiji's mineral water resource since most have been exempted from paying duty, he said it is not a good enough excuse.
Beddoes added the interim government has got to stop coming up with heavy handed approaches as a means of solving issues with organizations.
Meanwhile, the Interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry earlier said it is about time that water bottling companies pay duty for using Fiji's mineral water resource as they have been exempted from paying duty over the past years and they should take some personal responsibility to start paying the 20 cents per litre export duty and 20 cents per litre excise duty on bottled water sold locally.
He said cabinet’s decision to impose the duty stands from the 1st of this month and the companies should get ready to pay.
Chaudhry Should Be Sacked
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