Attorney General Siromi Turaga [left] and Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry

Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry says Attorney General Siromi Turaga should not be party to any decision making that involves the Acting Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa.

Chaudhry says Turaga is one of several coalition ministers referred to FICAC by Mataiciwa following complaints lodged against them to her office.

He says not only that, they understand Turaga is also the subject of a Police investigation.

Chaudhry suggests that Turaga should step aside as AG until all allegations against him have been cleared.

He says that procedural rules, and well-established convention, require that all Cabinet ministers under investigation step aside and allow due process to take place unhindered.

Chaudhry claims that is worrying that time and again Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has flouted this important rule of good governance.

Chaudhry says it happened in the case of former DPP Christopher Pryde and questioned why the same rule is not applied to everyone else.

The FLP Leader says the Prime Minister continues to send mixed messages on the current controversy over the appointment of Elections Supervisor Ana Mataiciwa.

Acting Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa

Chaudhry says in January Rabuka told the media that the appointment had been made and he does not understand why there is delay in making the announcement. He says at the same time the AG had said they are still sorting out terms and conditions for the office.

He questions why four months later the government is still searching for a person to fill the SoE position as they did not indicate that the January decision had come under review.

We have sent questions to the AG’s Office.