A structural change in the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) that eliminates the need for a Prime Minister’s nomination on the board has stirred controversy. While Youth and Sports Minister Jese Saukuru is dissatisfied with the change, he has deferred to Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka for a decisive comment.
The restructuring plan was approved in a special general meeting at the Novotel Suva Lami Bay Convention Centre. Emphasizing the need for professional management, FRU’s interim Trustees chairman, Peter Mazey, emphasized the importance of having competent individuals to not only hold executive positions, but also serve on the board.
Mazey announced that an Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be convened within 45 days, where a new board of directors and chairman will be elected. According to Mazey, the novel structure prioritizes union representation, allowing the unions to nominate and vote for their desired candidates. This major structural alteration negates automatic appointments in favor of those selected by union votes. It also means the elimination of the patron and president positions. All union members are reported to have unanimously agreed to the proposed changes.