The Judicial Services Commission is expected to meet today on the issue of the dismissal of Barbara Malimali as FICAC Commissioner and the appointment of Lavi Rokoika as Acting Commissioner.
Malimali was dismissed and Rokoika was appointed without the JSC's recommendation.
The JSC had said last month that it will make decisions by the end of March regarding Barbara Malimali whose dismissal as FICAC Commissioner was declared unlawful by the High Court.
fijivillage News has been sending a number of questions to the JSC members however they have not responded.
We have also asked whether they are looking at the allegations levelled against Rokoika which has also been reported to the JSC and the Legal Practitioners Unit.
These allegations have been sent by a whistleblower within FICAC as well.
For their last scheduled meeting in Suva, the JSC could not reach a quorum.
Chief Registrar and JSC Secretary, Tomasi Bainivalu had said they will have a meeting at the end of the month.
No reason was given on why they could not reach a quorum.
The JSC is supposed to meet after giving their recommendations to the President that the Acting FICAC Commissioner, Lavi Rokoika should leave her office as she was not legally appointed.
Although the JSC has given it's recommendations, President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu has not acted on it.
We have also asked the President to clarify to the people of Fiji on when he will act on the recommendations of the JSC.
We have also asked whether he is getting legal advice and from who.
We have been informed that the President has asked the JSC to include a severance payout for Rokoika and an opportunity for her to reapply for the FICAC post.
This question has also been posed to the President.
We have also asked if this is correct, and why is this being asked when the JSC as the constitutional body has said that Rokoika should leave her office as she was not legally appointed.
The President has not made any comments.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has appealed the High Court ruling of Justice Dane Tuiqereqere which had declared the dismissal of Malimali as FICAC Commissioner unlawful.
Rabuka is also asking in the appeal for the status quo to remain which includes Rokoika to remain as the Acting FICAC Commissioner.
Stay with us for developments.
