New Zealand minister drops Indian business interests

Internal Affairs Minister Richard Worth has resigned his directorships in companies with Indian business interests following questions over a recent trip to India.
Mr Worth's office confirmed this afternoon he had withdrawn from his Indian business interests to remove any perception of a conflict of interest.
Mr Worth has rejected any suggestions that there was a conflict of interest between his ministerial position and his recent visit to India, organised under the umbrella of the India Trade Group, which he chaired till today.
While on the trip, he was also one of three directors of an aviation company that he says has never traded, but which is in a joint venture with an Invercargill fight-training academy for which he brokered a deal in india.He also spoke at a formal ceremony as internal affairs minister about the benefits of New Zealand for aviation training.
A spokeswoman for Mr Worth said he remained clear that there was no conflict of interest but "he wants to make sure there is no perception of that".
He had withdrawn from his Indian business interests, which included India Trade Group and New Zealand Aviation. He had also stood down from the Korea New Zealand Business Council.
30/03/09 Tracy Watkins/The Dominican Post/Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand

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Categories: Foreign Mar 2009