Amit Raj
OPINION: SUVA: The Council of the Fiji Rugby Union, among other things, is responsible for the appointment and replacement of the directors of the union.
The media release of the current FRU board misrepresents locally and abroad the true situation at Rugby House in Fiji.
A majority of that council (18 affiliated unions), due to what they consider a failed and mismanaged FRU lottery saga, as well as many other issues, have lost trust and confidence in the ability of the current directors at Rugby House to meet the expectations of all member unions and the public in promoting first and foremost the interests of rugby.
The current actions of the board to unilaterally cancel a scheduled special general meeting mandated under the current FRU constitution is regrettable, and further reinforces the views of a majority of the council that the board is acting in its own interests and not in accordance with the wishes of its appointing council, which had not been given the opportunity to discuss such a drastic measure by the board.
The board has used the International Rugby Board (IRB) as an excuse for itself contravening the provisions of the FRU constitution.
The council members that make up a majority of the votes for the Fiji Rugby Union, welcome the scheduled visit of representatives of the IRB, and invite the IRB to meet with and discuss the future management and control of rugby in Fiji with the elected members and delegates of the FRU council, not solely the current FRU board of directors or CEO.
To get a fairer and balanced view of the situation here in Fiji.
At the end of the day, the board is answerable to the FRU council, not the IRB.
These internal democratic mechanisms within the FRU are completely independent of the Fiji government and whether or not it decides to financially assist the board of the FRU that has failed to procure adequate funding for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, despite its best efforts.
It is unfortunate that the board has attempted to use the media to resolve internal issues at Rugby House, further eroding the reputation and credibility of Fiji rugby locally and abroad.
The rugby public in Fiji are behind the FRU council that constitute the Fiji Rugby Union. It is they, the Fiji public that support a majority of the council's voting members and affiliated unions that are dissatisfied with the overall performance of the board and its chosen CEO. - The Fiji Times/Pacific Media Watch
* Carl Ngamoki-Cameron, spokesperson for a majority (18) of the affiliated unions.
Pacific Media Watch
