Chaudhry not saying whether he will remain leader of Labour Party going into 2018 elections

Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry is not saying whether he will remain the leader of the party going into the 2018 general election although he cannot contest the election.

Chaudhry cannot contest next year’s election as he was convicted for violation of Sections of the Exchange Control Act.

When questioned by Fijivillage on whether the FLP will again have him going into the election who cannot contest like the 2014 general election, Chaudhry said that people should just wait and see.

When asked on whether it is right for him to lead the FLP into the election knowing that the leader cannot be in parliament, Chaudhry said he will not make that decision.

Chaudhry also says that they are planning to go to court to try to get trade unionists to be allowed to contest the general elections.

The Suva High Court convicted Chaudhry in 2014 and ordered him to pay a fine of $2 million.

He was found guilty of three counts of breach of the Exchange Control Act.

Justice Paul Madigan had ordered that Chaudhry had to pay the fine or he would have to serve 15 months in prison.

Mahendra Chaudhry also had to comply with the Exchange Control Act by the 31st of July, 2014 which meant that he needed to repatriate the $AUD 1.5 million held in Australia.

Chaudhry paid the fine however took the matter to the Fiji Court of Appeal where the conviction was affirmed but the sentence was varied.

The Appeals Court was of the view that in all the circumstances of the case, the quantum of the fine imposed by the trial Judge was excessive and Chaudhry’s fine was reduced to $1 million.