George Shiu Raj
George Shiu Raj is an Indo-Fijian former politician, who served as Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs from 2001 to 30 September 2004, when he resigned amid accusations of misuse of funds. At the time, he was the only Indo-Fijian minister in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase. On 8 September 2005, he was acquitted of charges of conspiracy to defraud the government and of obtaining money under false pretenses, and Prime Minister Qarase announced his decision to reappoint Raj to the Cabinet. He was duly sworn in by Vice-President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi on 13 September. Following the parliamentary election held on 6–13 May 2006, in which Raj retained his seat with a large majority, Prime Minister Qarase appointed him Minister for Women, Social Welfare, and Poverty Alleviation. This appointment was harshly criticised by Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry. In a parliamentary debate on 8 June 2006, Chaudhry called the appointment of a male to head the Ministry for Women an "act of violence" against women, and called on Raj to resign. The misappropriation allegations and resignation The allegations centred on a visit to India that Raj made early in 2004. According to a report from the Auditor-General, Raj had chosen not to fly business class, which the government had paid for, and had opted for the cheaper economy class. Raj had allegedly pocketed the difference, instead of refunding it to the government. He had also allegedly taken his official driver to India, and had taken excess per diem for his own extended stay there. Raj told the Fiji Times that he was innocent of the charges, and that he had chosen to resign in order to protect the government. "I have great respect for the Speaker of the House, the Parliament, Prime Minister and the nation," he said, "and don't want such allegations to tarnish their image. The only proper action is to resign voluntarily while the legal process and police investigations take place." He was sure that the ensuing police investigation would clear him. Prime Minister Qarase accepted the resignation with regret, saying that Raj was one of his best-performing ministers. He announced that rather than replace Raj, he would take on responsibility for the Multi-Ethnic Affairs portfolio himself, pending the outcome of the police investigation. If exonerated by the inquiry, Raj might then be reinstated, Qarase said. He reiterated this position on 16 December 2004. Acquittal and reinstatement On 23 August 2005, Raj appeared in court along with Sashi Sanjeev Pal, the managing director of Hunts Travel, on charges of conspiracy to defraud the government and of obtaining money (F$10,000) by false pretenses. Raj and Pal pleaded not guilty to both charges. The trial of Raj and Pal began on 5 September. Department of Public Prosecutions lawyer Daniel Gounder told the three trial assessors that Raj and Pal had defrauded the government not once, but twice. Between 30 December 2001 and January 2002, the Prime Minister's Office authorized Raj to travel to India on business class tickets,