Graham Leung has revealed he was dismissed from his role as Attorney-General via a text message while he was abroad, specifically while in Hong Kong. He noted that he received this unexpected message at 5 a.m. local time, which correlates to 10 a.m. in Fiji, without any prior warning or official communication from Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka about his dismissal.
The former Attorney-General has expressed his disappointment regarding the process, stating, “There was no prior communication… I still have not received an official copy of the Commission of Inquiry’s final report,” highlighting that he had to rely on information sourced from the internet. He voiced concerns over a lack of justice and due process, calling the inquiry process flawed.
Despite the turn of events, Leung maintained he would not contest the Prime Minister’s decision, acknowledging Rabuka’s constitutional prerogative in such matters. He stated, “That is not a decision open to legal challenge. That ship has sailed.”
Leung’s dismissal relates to the Commission of Inquiry that scrutinized the appointment of Barbara Malimali as the Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC). He has categorically rejected the claims against him, expressing that the findings lack sufficient grounding and are rooted in speculation rather than fact.
This significant dismissal raises questions about governance, transparency, and accountability in Fiji’s political landscape. Such circumstances, while challenging, also present an opportunity for improvement in administrative processes and ethical standards. The current political climate may inspire reforms aimed at enhancing the integrity of governance, thereby fostering a more transparent system that the public can trust.
It remains critical for Fiji’s leaders to navigate this transition carefully, embracing the opportunity to reinforce a commitment to ethical governance and build public confidence in governmental institutions.
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