There has been a relentless attack on public institutions since December - Naupoto

FijiFirst Party MP, Viliame Naupoto claims that there has been a relentless attack on public institutions since December last year however Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka says it is a bit rich for the opposition to be going on about the rule of law.

Naupoto says institutional integrity in the public sector is particularly important due to the public character of the institution that implies public trust in the institutions’ practices, operations and policies.

He says on the 29th of December last year, 5 days after being sworn in, the Minister for Home Affairs announced to the public that he had asked the Commissioner of Police to resign, and the reason stated to the public was that he did not trust the Commissioner because of his affiliation with the previous government.

Naupoto says when it is publicly stated that the Minister does not trust the head of a disciplined force, it resonates down to the lowest rung of the organisation.

Rabuka says government acknowledges the constitutional integrity and knows that it is of utmost importance that those who make decisions on behalf of the people do so fairly and in a transparent manner.

He says he has a list of persons who were not treated well by the previous government and he does not want to mention their names.

Naupoto also says governments will come and go, but it is the loyalty and integrity of these institutions that holds democracy together, that allow them to do the transition.

Rabuka thanked Naupoto for bringing this up and he expected no less from a person who had a good run of whom much had been expected and now he expects much from the current government.