Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has raised concerns with the Constitutional Offices Commission (COC) secretariat regarding the status of a resignation letter from Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) Commissioner Barbara Malimali. He emphasized that the COC has not received her resignation letter as chair of the Electoral Commission of Fiji and stated that the secretariat should have informed its members as a matter of courtesy.
As the chair of the COC, which is responsible for appointing the chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Rabuka indicated that the question of “where is the letter?” should be directed to the COC secretariat. In a recent interview, he noted that there is a need for better communication among COC members regarding such matters. Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu echoed this sentiment, expressing that, as a member of the COC, he was also unaware of Malimali’s resignation.
Seruiratu asserted that the secretariat ought to have promptly notified members that Malimali had resigned. He emphasized that the COC had not received any communication about her resignation attempt or whether she had submitted a letter.
The Prime Minister clarified that Malimali’s resignation is effective from the date she submitted her resignation letter, regardless of whether the COC formally accepts it or not. He articulated that proper notification courtesy should have been extended, ensuring that the COC was aware of her resignation and that communication regarding this matter should have occurred via email.