The recent structural changes in the Fiji Rugby Union, which will eliminate the Prime Minister’s nomination in the board, have been met with some resistance. Youth and Sports Minister Jese Saukuru expressed his discontent but deferred further comments to Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
The changes, endorsed at the Special General Meeting held at the Novotel Suva Lami Bay Convention Centre, were driven by a need for the Rugby Union to be managed professionally, according to interim Trustees chairman Peter Mazey. He asserted that the most capable individuals should be running operations, not only at management and CEO level but also at the board level.
In alignment with Mazey’s comments, the new structure will be entirely union-focused as union members will be responsible for nominating and voting for all positions. This means there will no longer be a government or Prime Minister’s nominee, nor a World Rugby appointee; the nomination and voting will solely be the responsibility of the Fiji Rugby union members.
The agreed changes also involve the removal of a patron and president’s appointment. All union members have collectively agreed to this newly proposed structure.