Rabuka affirms non-interference in public enterprise CEO appointments

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has stressed that the Government does not interfere in the appointment of CEOs of public enterprises and these are the decisions left to the respective boards.

He says merit is the underlying requirement for all appointments to foreign service, municipal councils and boards of State owned entities.

Rabuka says a lot of the appointments were not made by the Ministers and were made by the various machinery in the civil and also with the councils etc.

As the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Rabuka has assured the Parliament that all heads of Mission appointment met the requirements of the position and the selection was made by the relevant authorities involved.

While speaking on Fiji’s submission to the International Court of Justice in Parliament, Rabuka says they have heard mention of the security of Fijian peacekeepers in the Middle East.

Rabuka says when the Alliance Government committed Fiji to peacekeeping, they realized they were going in a very risky situation and continue to do that regardless of what they do at this time.

He further says there continues to be a willful misunderstanding of the Government’s submission on the occupied territories in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The Prime Minister has reassured the Parliament that they stand for the sovereignty of nation States, the principle of non-agression and non-inteference of the domestic affairs of a State and the resolution of conflict by peaceful means according to the UN Charter.

He adds they will continue to uphold the integrity of multi-lateral institutions.

Meanwhile, Rabuka says the Opposition continues to imply that those who travel is a waste of government resources but has clarified that travel is necessary to restore trust and respect in the region and internationally.

The Prime Minister says for the Pacific, humility in the key to the art of diplomacy and the previous practice of boasting of punching above our weight and leapfrogging did not reflect the Pacific Way.