The Fiji Labour Party (FLP) has criticized Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka for publicly discussing the legitimacy of Barbara Malimali’s appointment as FICAC Commissioner before an inquiry is conducted.
In a statement, the FLP asserted that Malimali’s appointment was unlawful and that she was under investigation by FICAC at the time, claiming that the Judicial Services Commission erred in appointing her without prior clearance from the agency.
FLP Leader Mahendra Chaudhry noted that suggesting her appointment was lawful is misleading. He expressed concerns about the circumstances surrounding Malimali’s appointment, the intentions of those involved, and the resignation of Francis Puleiwai as Deputy Commissioner.
Chaudhry indicated that the timing of the appointment seemed to hint at an effort to undermine the operations of an independent authority and to obstruct the anticipated arrest of Professor Biman Prasad, who faces multiple charges of submitting false financial data to the Registrar of Political Parties under Section 24 of the Political Parties Act.
The former Prime Minister also expressed unease regarding the Prime Minister’s announcement that the Cabinet will discuss the terms of reference and the appointment of the proposed inquiry the following Tuesday. Chaudhry highlighted that many Cabinet Ministers are subjects of FICAC investigations following complaints from the Registrar of Political Parties, raising significant concerns regarding conflicts of interest.
He questioned whether these ministers should have the authority to define the inquiry’s terms and appoint its members.
The FLP mentioned that the Prime Minister has assured Puleiwai’s return if she comes back to Fiji to engage in the inquiry. However, Chaudhry emphasized that the Prime Minister’s assurance holds little weight without the consensus of his ministers and the various governmental bodies involved in the situation.