Rabuka says a selection mechanism will be in place to ensure that qualified individuals are assigned to appropriate positions.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka assures that a system to combat nepotism will be put in place to ensure that allegations of nepotism aren’t leveraged against him.

Rabuka says a selection mechanism will be in place to ensure that qualified individuals are assigned to appropriate positions.

“It will be watched at every step, recommendations go through a few steps before they are approved and in each of those, we will have to make sure that we are covered, that we are not going to be subjected to allegations of nepotism.”

However, Rabuka admits that there will be cases where an independent body’s opinion may be considered.

“There are cases where people may perceive the closeness, but there are also justifiable cases where it was given to a separate, independent body to make the selection, and those that are related, were they affiliate relationships or professional relationships, will not affect the decision.”

Rabuka had publicly made nepotism allegations against the Bainimarama administration in the past.

“I have a case in court against me for making that allegation so I cannot comment on that.”

The Rabuka administration will allow various boards of public entities to conduct their own investigations in areas where close acquaintances of the Bainimarama government were posted.