THE Fijian Government and the International Rugby Board agree the Fiji team must be given full support to perform to its optimum best at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand this September.
This was the outcome from a meeting held at the Ministry of Education, Senikau House, Suva yesterday.
The Government, represented by the Minister for Education, Youth and Sports, Filipe Bole met with the IRB general secretary and chief executive officer, Mr Mike Miller and the IRB general manager Ocenia, Mr Williams Glenwright to discuss ways of helping the FRU prepare our Flying Fijians for the RWC.
The Government’s offer of $3million to assist in the preparation and participation of the national team was confirmed by Mr Bole. However, conditions for this grant remains that a newly elected FRU Board and management will need to be in place first.
It was also clarified that changes wanted in the FRU were governance matters that only member unions of the FRU could deliberate and decide upon.
Thus the question of the timing of any meeting [AGM or SGM] and election of the FRU Board and management is a matter entirely for the member unions .
They have decided to hold a Special General Meeting but this is being stalled by FRU Board members.
Majority of member unions except two affiliates had followed the FRU constitution and unanimously voted for a SGM during a high powered meeting in Suva.
The annual general meeting will be held in April and by then it will be too late to utilise to the fullest $3m from Government to prepare the national team.
The discussion also noted the Commerce Commission agreed to discuss with the interim chairman and CEO the return of FRU documents to enable FRU to complete a lottery report.