The failed FijiFirst Party candidate (565 votes only) and the deputy CEO for the iTaukei Affairs Board Apakuki Kurusiga tells chiefs to accept that the Great Council of Chiefs is NO MORE! BUT how come he is BACK in his old job? Was the vacancy advertised by the PSC? Did Kurusiga reapply and go through interviews? Is he below 55 years old? Did Kurusiga resign to contest the elections? Does his re-appointment also defy the amendment to the Political Parties Decree?Or is FijiFirst leader Bainimarama rewarding Kurusiga (and other failed party candidates) now for he (Kurusiga) and and his family gave their all to put
FijiFirst in power?
In regard to Public Service, Khaiyum told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that the Fiji Public Service policy is now based on meritocracy, after the Government has done away "with discriminatory policies for the public services put in place by previous governments" which introduced policies that "only further advanced an elite agenda and clique...In light of this experience, all appointments in the public service are now made on the basis of qualification and performance alone. The public service is currently undergoing reforms which will ensure that the systemic prejudice based on race, ethnicity, gender identity and religion is eliminated."
2014 General elections and Conduct of Civil Servants
PSC CIRCULAR NO: 36/2014
To: All Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments File: 29/557 - 5
Subject: 2014 GENERAL ELECTIONS AND CONDUCT OF CIVIL SERVANTS Date: 1/8/2014
"Civil servants who consider themselves as prospective candidates for election should not issue any statement, nor in any way publicly announce themselves as candidates or prospective candidates before informing the Public Service Commission or Permanent Secretary of their intention. Civil servants who have made public this intention, must immediately tender their resignation or retirement from the Service."
PSC CIRCULAR NO: 36/2014
To: All Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments File: 29/557 - 5
Subject: 2014 GENERAL ELECTIONS AND CONDUCT OF CIVIL SERVANTS Date: 1/8/2014
"Civil servants who consider themselves as prospective candidates for election should not issue any statement, nor in any way publicly announce themselves as candidates or prospective candidates before informing the Public Service Commission or Permanent Secretary of their intention. Civil servants who have made public this intention, must immediately tender their resignation or retirement from the Service."
IN 2008 Bainimarama's brother Ratu Meli (now in Malaysia) told the Fiji Times (3 July) that Kurusiga was on a three-year contract until 2011, so what happened NEXT? From 2011 to 2014, and now after September election?
Kurusiga on a 3-year posting Sunday, July 13, 2008
COLONEL Apakuki Kurusiga's appointment as deputy secretary at the Fijian Affairs Board (FAB) is for three years, says Ministry of Indigenous Affairs permanent secretary Ratu Meli Bainimarama. "Col Kurusiga was assigned to this post from 17 June 2008," said Ratu Meli. "He replaced three officers who were acting in two positions of deputy secretary but reverted to their substantive positions in July 2007. "He was assigned to this post to, among other things, see to the implementation of recommendations his team has made during its visit to the Provincial Councils and the FAB. "He has been offered a contract appointment of three years with the board."
Col Kurusiga preferred not to comment instead referring all queries to Ratu Meli. Public Service Commission deputy secretary Maria Matavewa said the commission was unaware of the appointment. However, she confirmed that the FAB was an autonomous body which made its own appointments. Meanwhile, two political parties said the appointment was a continuation of the militarisation of the government machinery. Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua party director Peceli Kinivuwai said the military was putting its people in strategic posts within the civil service. "Why are they bringing in a retired colonel?"
"By doing that they are depriving a career civil servant from a promotion or getting ahead within the civil service and that's demoralising," he said. National Federation Party general secretary Pramod Rae said the appointment of Col Kurusiga was suspicious and the militarisation of the government machinery was continuing.
He said it raised eyebrows because Col Kurusiga had been tasked with investigating Fijian institutions and was now appointed to one of the very institutions he reviewed. "This goes against good governance and shows this is just another job for the boys," said Mr Rae.
"This is nepotism and cronyism."
Kurusiga on a 3-year posting Sunday, July 13, 2008
COLONEL Apakuki Kurusiga's appointment as deputy secretary at the Fijian Affairs Board (FAB) is for three years, says Ministry of Indigenous Affairs permanent secretary Ratu Meli Bainimarama. "Col Kurusiga was assigned to this post from 17 June 2008," said Ratu Meli. "He replaced three officers who were acting in two positions of deputy secretary but reverted to their substantive positions in July 2007. "He was assigned to this post to, among other things, see to the implementation of recommendations his team has made during its visit to the Provincial Councils and the FAB. "He has been offered a contract appointment of three years with the board."
Col Kurusiga preferred not to comment instead referring all queries to Ratu Meli. Public Service Commission deputy secretary Maria Matavewa said the commission was unaware of the appointment. However, she confirmed that the FAB was an autonomous body which made its own appointments. Meanwhile, two political parties said the appointment was a continuation of the militarisation of the government machinery. Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua party director Peceli Kinivuwai said the military was putting its people in strategic posts within the civil service. "Why are they bringing in a retired colonel?"
"By doing that they are depriving a career civil servant from a promotion or getting ahead within the civil service and that's demoralising," he said. National Federation Party general secretary Pramod Rae said the appointment of Col Kurusiga was suspicious and the militarisation of the government machinery was continuing.
He said it raised eyebrows because Col Kurusiga had been tasked with investigating Fijian institutions and was now appointed to one of the very institutions he reviewed. "This goes against good governance and shows this is just another job for the boys," said Mr Rae.
"This is nepotism and cronyism."
http://fijisun.com.fj/2014/10/30/call-to-serve-2/
Fijileaks Editor: One would have thought that the first thing Fiji Sun would have done before conducting an interview with Kurusiga or accepting his statement on the rightful place of chiefs in post September election was to point out to him the PSC Circular and the list of questions that Fijileaks has raised in this posting. The Fiji Sun article does not inform its readers that Kurusiga is a failed FijiFirst Party candidate in the September election.
Media Industry Development Authority (MIDA) chairman, Ashwin Raj says they want to build “a trained and strong media” in Fiji. This was part of his statement to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva today. Raj also set out the challenges of promoting ethical journalism in Fiji and the efforts of the Media Industry Development Authority to build a trained and strong media. Read more at: http://fijilive.com/news/2014/10/mida-wants-a-trained-and-strong-media/59498.Fijilive
Fijileaks Editor: One would have thought that the first thing Fiji Sun would have done before conducting an interview with Kurusiga or accepting his statement on the rightful place of chiefs in post September election was to point out to him the PSC Circular and the list of questions that Fijileaks has raised in this posting. The Fiji Sun article does not inform its readers that Kurusiga is a failed FijiFirst Party candidate in the September election.
Media Industry Development Authority (MIDA) chairman, Ashwin Raj says they want to build “a trained and strong media” in Fiji. This was part of his statement to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva today. Raj also set out the challenges of promoting ethical journalism in Fiji and the efforts of the Media Industry Development Authority to build a trained and strong media. Read more at: http://fijilive.com/news/2014/10/mida-wants-a-trained-and-strong-media/59498.Fijilive
Fijileaks Editor: Well, it shows that Leone Cabenatabua, like much of Fiji, is an avid reader of Fijileaks. He should keep on reading it. He might learn something - even if he is too scared to publish it. And "many of his former colleagues think he has lost it" Really? Come on Leo (Coconut Wireless, 25 October), name one - who doesn't work for or depend on the Fiji Sun.Too hard eh?
