N0097. ALLEGATIONS OF FIJI SPORTS COUNCIL NEPOTISM. Several readers have stated, some more politely than others, that the appointment of Litiana Loabuka, the PM's daughter, as the CEO of the Fiji Sports Council, was a "further example of jobs for the boys" — and the anti-government blogs took up the chorus. This sort of accusation has followed almost every new government-related appointment.
I asked Peter Mazzey, President of the Fiji Chamber of Commerce, hotelier and Chairman of the FSC, for his comment. He replied that the position was advertised twice in local papers, 13 people applied and three were shortlisted for interviews by the full ten-member Board that, besides Mazzey, includes sports and youth directors and selectors, a lawyer, an accountant, the Commissioner Eastrn, and the Ministry of Sports Assistant Director. The FSC is a government statutory body and the appointment of the CEO requires the Minister's approval. Board members are appointed by the Minister of Education, Youth & Sports, Filipe Bole, for a period of two years.Litiana Loabuka was unanimously recommended by the Board to the Minister of Sports who approved the appointment.
Litiana was more qualified than the other candidates. She has a BA in Economics and Management and Public Administration from USP. To take up the position she resigned as Commercial Manager of Telecom Fiji and as Secretary of Fiji Netball. Her salary and allowances are the same as the previous CEO and she dropped salary to take up the position. [There goes another wrong accusation!]
So, as we used to say to detractors in my younger days, "Put that in your pipe and smoke it." Being the PM's daughter was not the reason for Litiana's appointment, and the PM is not privy to the Board's deliberations or its recommendations to the Minister of Sports.
It is surely time the anti-government blogs and commentators made some effort to check the "facts" they want to believe in before rushing into print. Constant error undermines their credibility. Soon only their core faithful will believe their lies.
N0098. REVENUE COLLECTION HIGHEST EVER. Government collected $1.3 billion in different forms of taxation last year,$91 million more than in 2009, and surpassing the revised projected revenue by $22.3 million. The increase was largely a result of improved collection but tax arrears (some $52.3 million) remain a problem. The revenue forecast for 2011 is $1.496 billion.
N0099. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION. Government is working on the implementation of a Freedom of Information Decree, Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum told lawyers at the recent A-G's Conference. He did not say why this is needed with the Media Decree in place or whether it would result in more public information. It is regrettable that the implementation of the Media Decree has not yet resulted in the lifting of PER, as intimated prior to its passing, or a better flow of information.
N0100. HIV/AIDS DECREE 2011. Victims of HIV/AIDS in Fiji and the rest of the Pacific have new hope this month, with the interim Fiji Government adopting the HIV /AIDS Decree 2011. The decree has been widely praised locally and internationally for leading the way in the Pacific for dealing with HIV/AIDS.Its proponents argue more people will have the confidence to be tested without fear of discrimination and will have better treatment options. Listen to the ABD interview with Laitia Tamata, Pacific Islands AIDS Foundation Legal Trainer and Policy analyst
6 comments:
@Croz, again the point is missed, given that all the members of the board were entirely aware of the relationship between the applicant and the interim PM, was there any competition? How would all the other applicants feel knowing they were competing with the daugher of Bainimarama? All the current board members were appointed by the current regime? Presumably Francis kean went through the same process? Your focus on the process is nice but when the board is appointed by the regime, the minister responsible is appointed by the PM and his daughetr is unanimously appointed does beg many questions given the arbitrary nature of most of the apoointments this regime makes where the only requirements if you need to be in 'fatiques' or a fellow traveller. Oh and BTW given the explanation, why was there no media release to assure the public of the process given the relationship and obvious public interest?
@ Saras'sista, What would I do without you! I'll write to Litiana immediately and inform her that the only way she can avoid your criticism is to apply for a job in Australia.
Croz, the problem with ethics is that any whiff of impropriety must be avoided - and if there is veracity to the claim that Frank's daughter was hired on her merits (I have no idea about her qualifications or lack of them) - it should have been made open and transparent from the start - not some half-hearted, hidden excuse revealed much later.
Everyone would have known that her appointment would raise eyebrows - the fact that it looks dodgy makes it dodgy in the public eye and any justifications for it are simply far too late.
Croz,
A selection of articles which mention nepotism in this blog:
A) PM on Just, Fair Society
The Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has called for greater partnership in the achievement of a just and fair society. Commodore Bainimarama was speaking at the presidential dinner of the 26th Executive Meeting of Regional Islamic Da’Wah Council of South East Asia and the Pacific (RISEAP) held at the Natadola Intercontinental Golf and Spa on Monday night.
He said the Government was focused on building strong state institutions through good governance. “Building such a society requires first of all participation of all its citizens, it requires honesty, candour, and transparency,” the Prime Minister said.
“It requires laws that are equally applicable to all and when applied are justly applied. Having a just and fair society is not only the job of Governments. It is also the role of all citizens, business houses and organisations such as yours. Individual organisations must function and act in a fair and transparent manner. For example, as I have seen many times nepotism and clientalism become the norm in many NGOs. This must not be allowed to happen.”...
B) Coup Apologist
The blog's political stance is neutral to pro-Government. I do not approve of coups or military-led governments but to move Fiji forward the de facto situation and de facto government must be accepted. I believe the government prior to 2006 was very far from democratic; its leadership included prominent racists; it tolerated and perpetuated corruption, nepotism and gross inefficiencies from which a small number of people benefited, and from which ordinary people of all races did not...
C) Improved race relations
Race relations have improved remarkably. The previous governments used racism to retain their dominance. The Bainimarama Government has doused the flames and if it continues on its path, the small embers would extinguish by itself, as sanity, reason and understanding nourish the hearts and minds of the people.
I traveled to Suva from Ba twice and met many people and none of them spoke against Commodore Bainimarama or his government. The radio talkback shows praised him and talk around the proverbial kava bowel was appreciation. But this is not to claim that there are no critics. Clearly, they are a minority and comprise supporters of deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase or his SDL Party.
Few things were obvious, to which the public has responded positively. Civil service is being purged of corrupt officials. In the last two years, 50 officers from Works and Transport Ministry lost their jobs for abuse of authority, nepotism, fraud, corruption and bribery...
N0097. Sasa'sista ... You have had your say and I have had mine. We disagree. End of story. I'm sorry but I do not have the time to conduct an ever-unrolling discussion with you. Please try to make all your points in the same commentary. You've had a fair run on this blog. Far more than others get on tne anti-government blogs. No more on this topic, please.
@ croz, i am somewhat indifferent whether my comments are published or not on this blog, as i see you tend to read them anyway to know you don't wish to comment further, that is perfectly okay. I have taken to the habit of duplicating them on coupfour in any event.
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