The recent appointment of Barbara Malimali as Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) has drawn criticism from Senior Opposition Member of Parliament Jone Usamate, who described it as inappropriate. Usamate emphasized his support for women in significant roles but raised concerns about the transparency and accountability processes surrounding the appointment.
He stated that the Constitutional Offices Commission (COC) is expected to rely on an independent team to review candidates thoroughly. He questioned whether the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), responsible for the hiring process, engaged such a team in this instance.
Usamate highlighted the importance of maintaining public confidence in independent institutions, suggesting that it might be necessary for the JSC to act against its interests to uphold credibility. He acknowledged that Malimali might be qualified, noting that Acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo indicated she received a high score during evaluations.
He further questioned whether the Office of the President conducted adequate due diligence to assess Malimali’s qualifications, pointing out that she had been under investigation. This, he argued, should have led to a postponement of her appointment by both the JSC and the President’s Office.
Usamate raised additional concerns regarding Malimali’s resignation from her former position as chair of the Electoral Commission and criticized the COC for possibly not receiving her resignation formally. He also called for an explanation regarding why the Acting Deputy Commissioner Francis Puleiwai was instructed not to file formal charges against Biman Prasad, labeling it a serious abuse of office that warrants an independent investigation, potentially by the Police.
He concluded by reinforcing the notion that good governance is crucial to a strong and efficient government, questioning the comments made by the Minister of Justice regarding investigations into Cabinet Ministers, implying that no one should be above scrutiny.