The appointment of Barbara Malimali as the new Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) has been criticized by Opposition Member Jone Usamate, who claims that good governance principles have been overlooked. Usamate expressed his discontent, stating, “The appointment of Ms Barbara Malimali feels all wrong and inappropriate.”
He emphasized that he has nothing against Malimali personally and supports women in leadership roles, but raised concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability in the appointment process.
Usamate questioned whether the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) engaged an independent team to evaluate candidates’ applications during the hiring process, which is typically a standard for ensuring the best candidates are chosen.
He stressed the JSC’s responsibility to maintain public trust in independent institutions, even if it means not prioritizing its own interests. Although Acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo mentioned that Malimali scored the highest in evaluations, Usamate urged for thorough due diligence to ascertain that there were no ongoing investigations related to her.
He argued that Malimali’s appointment should have been postponed until any allegations against her were addressed, stating that the selection of the FICAC Commissioner is paramount and must be handled meticulously to maintain public trust.
Additionally, Usamate questioned the Constitutional Offices Commission (COC) regarding Malimali’s resignation from her previous role as chair of the Electoral Commission and sought clarification on who intervened to prevent formal charges against Hon Biman Prasad.
He called for an independent investigation, potentially led by the police, into what he described as a serious abuse of office. Usamate concluded that Malimali should have exercised better judgment by accepting the FICAC Commissioner role while under investigation, which could damage both FICAC’s and her own reputation.
In response, Malimali criticized political commentators for questioning the legitimacy of the JSC’s decision, which she described as made up of highly respected judiciary members.