Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation and Education, Viliame Gavoka says he has been impressing on SODELPA not to do something that makes them look desperate.
This was after Gavoka was given an ultimatum by the SODELPA Management Board to relinquish his Education Ministry portfolio by today to allow incoming party leader and SODELPA MP, Aseri Radrodro to take up the ministerial post again.
Gavoka says it looks bad for the party as he was quite surprised to get the directive from the party’s management board.
He says he knows the party so he does not know where this came from.
The Deputy Prime Minister says he will be replying to the directive.
He says the position of the Cabinet is the sole prerogative of the Prime Minister and that is the type of system of government we have embraced in our parliamentary democracy.
Gavoka says the management board cannot be dictating terms to the Prime Minister.
On Aseri Radrodro as SODELPA Party Leader, Gavoka says the process has taken its course and they will take it from there.
SODELPA General Secretary, Viliame Takayawa confirms that Gavoka has been handed the letter from the management board to comply with the directive.
He only said that if Gavoka does not do this, they will move forward.
Takayawa says SODELPA wants one minister for one portfolio, and Gavoka has to comply based on what the management board wants as part of the coalition agreement.
He adds that based on their assessment, Radrodro did not breach anything when he was dismissed as Minister for Education.
SODELPA will comment today if Gavoka does not follow the directive to relinquish the Education Ministry portfolio.
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