Newly appointed Attorney General Graham Leung (left), with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka

The need for the cabinet to acquire additional legal expertise prompted the appointment of Graham Leung as Attorney General.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka made the comment following the swearing-in of Graham Leung as the new AG today.

Rabuka says Leung was his choice for AG.

“I had to ask him if he was available and if he was clean and qualified by all the standards, according to the Fiji Law Society, the Constitution. And once he verified that he was suitably qualified, I asked him to be ready to be sworn in today.”

Rabuka believes that the newly appointed AG’s neutrality in politics would expedite pending matters within the government, including the amendment of the Constitution.

“The amendment of the Constitution is a big process and we will have to work in accordance with the provision of the Constitution. There has to be a set majority established in Parliament and then we go to the people for the referendum.”

When asked if there was laxity in Siromi Turaga’s performance as the Attorney General, Rabuka says that Turaga could have done better as AG.

Siromi Turaga remains as Minister for Justice.

The Prime Minister says Attorney General Graham Leung and Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga will now be able to use their expertise in cabinet.