Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who also chairs the Constitutional Offices Commission (COC), has resolved doubts regarding Barbara Malimali’s resignation from her role as chair of the Electoral Commission of Fiji. In a statement released yesterday, the Prime Minister noted that he received confirmation from the COC secretariat last Saturday, approximately ten days after Malimali was appointed as the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) Commissioner.
Concerns had been raised by Opposition Leader and COC member Inia Seruiratu, who mentioned he had not seen the letter of resignation from Malimali. Rabuka clarified that Malimali had submitted her resignation on September 3, just two days before assuming her new position at FICAC.
In his statement to a local newspaper, Rabuka said that the COC Secretary, Solicitor-General Ropate Green, informed him via email at 8:17 AM on September 14. Last Friday, Rabuka had indicated that he was still awaiting formal confirmation regarding Malimali’s resignation.
The confirmation of her resignation should alleviate worries from both politicians and the public about the appointment process for Malimali. Seruiratu, however, maintained his concerns about how the resignation was managed, pointing out that September 14 was a Saturday and therefore not a regular working day. He questioned the timeline, asking why it took so long for the resignation to reach the Prime Minister and when it was officially received by the COC Secretariat.
Seruiratu has called for a thorough investigation into the situation, advocating for clarity and transparency. He urged the Prime Minister to initiate a special inquiry to resolve the matter definitively.