FijiFirst General Secretary Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has rejected National Federation Party candidate Charan Jeath Singh’s claims that the minimum wage rate is not being increased because the FijiFirst is looking after the businesses giving money to the party.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the FijiFirst has never forced anyone to donate to the party as claimed, and the Political Parties Act is clear that a person can donate upto $10,000 in a year.

Singh is claiming that big Gujerati businesspeople have given a lot of money to FijiFirst and have put pressure on the current government not to increase the minimum wage rate.

Singh claimed in a campaign meeting in Tabia, Labasa that these Gujerati businesspeople have given $300,000 to $400,000 each to FijiFirst. He sais that these businesspeople have bought the party.

When we asked for evidence to show that a single businessperson has given $300,000 to $400,000 to the party, Singh provided a list which had some people’s names with $10,000 each next to each name.

Sayed-Khaiyum said on Straight Talk that FijiFirst cares about the people and an immediate minimum wage rate increase to $4, $5 or $10 will hurt people as there will be job losses.

Sayed-Khaiyum says Charan Jeath Singh should start paying his staff $5 an hour as he is pushing the issue but is not doing the same in his business.

The FijiFirst General Secretary also says that the FijiFirst returned Charan Jeath Singh’s $10,000 cheque in 2014 as he donated the money and then wanted to be a candidate. Sayed-Khaiyum stresses that FijiFirst funding is being done according to the laws of the country.

You can watch the full Straight Talk interview on our facebook, fijivillage