He says his VILLAS are surrounded by MAGICAL WATERS. Maybe, but his clients are still struggling to stay financially afloat, wanting answers for their missing $2million Trust Fund Accounts
The recently resigned Chair, Fiji's Electoral Commission, is listed as Managing Director, Sunshine Villas. For sixt months, the LPU, the Chief Registrar, Elections Minister Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, and Elections Supervisor Mohammed Saneem had been HIDING from Fijileaks, and the temple-visiting Dholakia BIMAN PRASAD refused to join calls for Suresh Chandra's suspension and investigation. Now, we see he is back in the Fiji Times writing about Fiji's health system. He is hiding from Fijileaks, refusing to explain why he didn't sign, with Rabuka, the LETTER. So,
HE was willing to take NFP into 2022 election, supervised by Chandra?
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VERY, VERY, FISHY, that some of his lawyer friends on his Facebook account never sounded alarm bell that his name was missing from the Fiji Legal Practitioners List and yet he was chair, Electoral Commission
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"For the past three years, Chandra has been under investigation by the Legal Practitioners Unit (LPU) following complaints of misuse of Trust Account Funds. These are very serious allegations yet the LPU saw it fit to allow Chandra to continue to practice under a provisional licence in 2019 and 2020. It seems even the provisional licence was revoked this year yet Chandra continued to hold the constitutional office of the chair of the Electoral Commission. We have said before that both the LPU and the Attorney General Sayed-Khaiyum must answer to the people of Fiji on why Chandra was allowed to continue in office despite such serious allegations of professional misconduct levelled at him. Their very silence is an indication that they do not hold themselves accountable to the people. It is an indication of complete disdain to public opinion."
A person holding high public office carrying enormous constitutional responsibility to deliver free and fair elections, is forced to resign under a serious stigma which calls into question his integrity and independence, BUT there is not a word from government on the incident.
The Attorney General and Minister for Elections who should have known what was happening under his nose, has remained silent.
The Legal Practitioners Unit which is required by law to protect the public from dishonest lawyers, has the gall to say it does not make public comments on investigations against offending lawyers.
There is absolute silence from the Fiji Law Society which is required under its Act to preserve and maintain the integrity and status of the legal profession in Fiji. The least it can do is to defend the law.
There is absolute silence from the parliamentary Opposition parties who were found sleeping on the job.
Except for one local media organization which is keeping the issue alive, all other media outlets appear to have pushed it under the carpet as of no consequence.
We are referring to the case of the chairperson of the Electoral Commission Suresh Chandra who was forced to resign on allegations of professional misconduct, raised by the leaders of the Fiji Labour Party, Unity Fiji and Freedom Alliance.
For the past three years, Chandra has been under investigation by the Legal Practitioners Unit (LPU) following complaints of misuse of Trust Account Funds.
These are very serious allegations yet the LPU saw it fit to allow Chandra to continue to practice under a provisional licence in 2019 and 2020. It seems even the provisional licence was revoked this year yet Chandra continued to hold the constitutional office of the chair of the Electoral Commission.
We have said before that both the LPU and the Attorney General Sayed-Khaiyum must answer to the people of Fiji on why Chandra was allowed to continue in office despite such serious allegations of professional misconduct levelled at him.
Their very silence is an indication that they do not hold themselves accountable to the people. It is an indication of complete disdain to public opinion.
There are other grave questions for which the public need answers.
One: why was a provisional licence issued to Chandra when in fact, he should have been suspended while investigations were conducted on allegations against him?
Two: why did the LPU take virtually three years to conduct an investigation?
The LPU is required under the constitution, as a public office, to publish periodic reports and information for people who may require the services of legal practitioners.
We do not accept the media comment by the Chief Registrar that he cannot comment on the investigation into allegations against Chandra.
Such information should be a matter of public interest. It should be available in the public domain so that people who need legal services know which lawyers they should avoid.
Misuse of Trust Fund by legal practitioners is a very serious criminal offence. This government considered it so serious that it brought in amendments to the Legal Practitioners Act in 2009 removing the powers of the Fiji Law Society to investigate professional misconduct of its members and take proper action.
These powers were then vested in the Legal Practitioners Unit.
But the Law Society is obligated under its Act to “protect the public in all matters, ancillary or incidental to the practice of the Law”. We believe it cannot remain silent in such cases.
We believe there may be more cases of lawyers under the spotlight being allowed to practice while the long drawn investigations drag on.
The following information must be readily available to the public at all times:
1. A list of valid legal practitioners
2. A list of legal practitioners who are under investigation
3. A list of law firms that are under receivership and their status
The Attorney General and Minister for Elections who should have known what was happening under his nose, has remained silent.
The Legal Practitioners Unit which is required by law to protect the public from dishonest lawyers, has the gall to say it does not make public comments on investigations against offending lawyers.
There is absolute silence from the Fiji Law Society which is required under its Act to preserve and maintain the integrity and status of the legal profession in Fiji. The least it can do is to defend the law.
There is absolute silence from the parliamentary Opposition parties who were found sleeping on the job.
Except for one local media organization which is keeping the issue alive, all other media outlets appear to have pushed it under the carpet as of no consequence.
We are referring to the case of the chairperson of the Electoral Commission Suresh Chandra who was forced to resign on allegations of professional misconduct, raised by the leaders of the Fiji Labour Party, Unity Fiji and Freedom Alliance.
For the past three years, Chandra has been under investigation by the Legal Practitioners Unit (LPU) following complaints of misuse of Trust Account Funds.
These are very serious allegations yet the LPU saw it fit to allow Chandra to continue to practice under a provisional licence in 2019 and 2020. It seems even the provisional licence was revoked this year yet Chandra continued to hold the constitutional office of the chair of the Electoral Commission.
We have said before that both the LPU and the Attorney General Sayed-Khaiyum must answer to the people of Fiji on why Chandra was allowed to continue in office despite such serious allegations of professional misconduct levelled at him.
Their very silence is an indication that they do not hold themselves accountable to the people. It is an indication of complete disdain to public opinion.
There are other grave questions for which the public need answers.
One: why was a provisional licence issued to Chandra when in fact, he should have been suspended while investigations were conducted on allegations against him?
Two: why did the LPU take virtually three years to conduct an investigation?
The LPU is required under the constitution, as a public office, to publish periodic reports and information for people who may require the services of legal practitioners.
We do not accept the media comment by the Chief Registrar that he cannot comment on the investigation into allegations against Chandra.
Such information should be a matter of public interest. It should be available in the public domain so that people who need legal services know which lawyers they should avoid.
Misuse of Trust Fund by legal practitioners is a very serious criminal offence. This government considered it so serious that it brought in amendments to the Legal Practitioners Act in 2009 removing the powers of the Fiji Law Society to investigate professional misconduct of its members and take proper action.
These powers were then vested in the Legal Practitioners Unit.
But the Law Society is obligated under its Act to “protect the public in all matters, ancillary or incidental to the practice of the Law”. We believe it cannot remain silent in such cases.
We believe there may be more cases of lawyers under the spotlight being allowed to practice while the long drawn investigations drag on.
The following information must be readily available to the public at all times:
1. A list of valid legal practitioners
2. A list of legal practitioners who are under investigation
3. A list of law firms that are under receivership and their status
WHEN IT CAME TO THE HEALTH AND INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION, HE WAS NO WHERE TO BE SEEN, TO SIGN THE LETTER
