MP Wants to Give Bula FC $1 Million of Taxpayers' Money During Fuel Crisis

Opposition MP and former FijiFirst parliamentarian Joseph Nand is facing widespread criticism after calling on Government to allocate $1 million in taxpayer funding to private football club Bula FC despite ongoing concerns surrounding the club's governance, transparency and accountability.

Speaking in Parliament, Nand urged Government to provide direct budget support of $1 million to Bula FC and also called for significant tax concessions for sponsors and the club itself, a proposal that Bula FC's media team could hardly have scripted better themselves.

However, his comments were quickly met with criticism and ridicule, with many questioning why taxpayers should be asked to fund a private football club at a time when families and businesses are struggling with rising costs.

Commenting online, Sanjesh Kumar questioned why taxpayers should fund the club at all.

"Please ask why taxpayers should fund the club, isn't it privately owned," he wrote while sharing a screenshot of comments made by Bula FC chairman Marc McElrath.

Another commenter, Sukhen Singh, argued that Fiji Football already receives substantial support through FIFA funding and questioned whether additional taxpayer assistance was necessary.

Several other commenters said Government's priority should be helping ordinary Fijians cope with the rising cost of living rather than providing public money to a private football club.

The criticism comes against the backdrop of comments made earlier this year by Bula FC chairman Marc McElrath, who publicly stated that the club was a private company and was not required to disclose its internal business matters to the public.

He made the comments while responding to concerns raised by football supporters regarding a perceived conflict of interest involving the club's merchandise suppliers. The concerns centred on RK21, a recently established company owned by Bula FC captain Roy Krishna, which was awarded the contract to supply the club's jerseys and merchandise. Roy Krishna is also the husband of Bula FC Chief Marketing Officer Naziah Ali, who serves as a vice president of Fiji Football Association and was previously announced as a proposed FijiFirst candidate.

Those comments attracted strong criticism from the public, who argued that a club representing Fiji in a regional professional competition should be accountable to fans and the wider public.

The funding proposal comes at a time when Fiji is facing increasing economic pressures, including rising fuel prices and broader cost-of-living challenges affecting households and businesses across the country.

When approached by Duavata News, Nand defended the principle of investing in sport but admitted any organisation seeking public funding must meet strict standards of governance and accountability.

"No organisation can claim to be private and unaccountable while requesting taxpayer funds. Public money comes with public scrutiny," Nand said, backtracking on his earlier call.

He said he was not aware of McElrath's comments regarding the club's private status and added that if such comments were made, they would be concerning.

Nand also said every dollar of public spending must be justified and that any proposal for Government funding should be supported by a credible business case, financial sustainability and a clear benefit to the country.

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