Fiji’s next Police Commissioner will be a Fijian. This assurance was given in Parliament by Home Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua in response to concerns raised by Opposition Member of Parliament Ioane Naivalurua regarding the appointment.
“I would like to assure the honourable member, our new commissioner will be a Fijian,” said Tikoduadua. “A man in blue, not a man in green or red, nor will he be a foreigner and he will be a policeman or a policewoman.”
Naivalurua also emphasized that the police should not rely on external leadership, stressing that the era of dependency has ended. “Outsourcing mentoring for the Commissioner of Police undermines the potential for local leadership to set and uphold ethical standards rooted in Fiji’s own cultural and societal context,” he stated.
In response, Tikoduadua noted that good leaders acknowledge the need for assistance. “The Leader of Opposition and I were mentored by great people in the RFMF, and we are testaments to that. We are standing here today because we were mentored well,” he remarked. “There is no ulterior motive in getting a mentor; we need help from everyone. Parliament receives assistance from UNDP, which is not local, and that is what we are doing.”
Attorney-General Graham Leung also announced that the Constitutional Offices Commission would meet on Friday. He stated that the post of police commissioner would be advertised once it is declared vacant, adding that for now, it remains occupied.
Rusiate Tudravu, one of the candidates speculated for the position, mentioned that he would comment once the post is officially advertised.