Fiji To Pay $1.5 million For Timor Troops

by Jillian Hicks

Source: Fiji Sun

SUVA: The Fiji Government is expected to fork out an initial sum of about F$1.5 million in expenses towards sending a 190-man troop for peace-keeping operations in East Timor, the Fiji Sun reports.

Assistant Minister for Home Affairs Gaffar Ahmed said yesterday that although it would cost the Government that much, more money would be involved later in the process.

He said that all expenses, however, would be reimbursed by the United Nations.

The 190-troop which consisted of soldiers and a back-up staff had already gone into camp.

According to Ahmed, their time schedules, including departure dates, would depend on the UN, which would be sending a special aircraft to take the troops to East Timor.

Hopefully, he said, they would leave before Sunday.

Article provided by the Journalism Programmme, University of the South Pacific. Pasifik Nius.

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