 Suvavou House which houses the headquarters of the Commission | |
| Formation | 1997 |
|---|---|
| Type | Advisory body |
| Headquarters | Suvavou House, Suva |
| Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka | |
Key people | 6 members including the chairperson: |
The Constitutional Offices Commission is an advisory body that is responsible for providing advice to the President of Fiji for the appointment of key officials within public offices in Fiji. [1]
Established by the 1997 Constitution of Fiji, the Commission originally consisted of a chairperson and two other individuals, all appointed by the President on the advice of the responsible Minister. [2] When the 2013 Constitution of Fiji came into effect, the Commission was re-established but came with many changes including the Prime Minister being a member of the Commission and chairperson. [3] [4]
On 17 April 2015, the Commission held its first meeting since the 2006 coup under the premiership of Frank Bainimarama. Bainimarama's appointee was Ajith Kodagoda. Other members of the meeting included Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Opposition Leader Teimumu Kepa and her appointee, lawyer Richard Naidu. [5]
In November 2015, Ben Groenewald resigned as Police Commissioner citing military interference. Frank Bainimarama as chairperson of the Commission then advised President Epeli Nailatikau to appoint Sitiveni Qiliho who is a senior military officer. [6] Teimumu Kepa called on Bainimarama to revoke the appointment stating that it was "inappropriate" and raised concerns about the independence of the police. [7] Richard Naidu resigned from the Commission claiming the body was politicised. [8] [9]
According to the 2013 Constitution of Fiji, the Commission is responsible to provide advice to the President in relation to the appointment of key public positions: [3]
The Commission is composed of six members: [4]
The current members of the Commission are: [10]
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Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka is a Fijian politician who has served as Prime Minister of Fiji since 24 December 2022. He was the instigator of two military coups in 1987. He was democratically elected as Prime Minister of Fiji, serving from 1992 to 1999, and again in 2022, leading a three-party coalition. He also served as Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs from 1999 to 2001, and later as Chairman of the Cakaudrove Provincial Council from 2001 to 2008.
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General elections were held in Fiji on 14 December 2022 to elect the 55 members of Parliament. The elections took place following the passage of controversial electoral amendments.
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Events of 2022 in Fiji.
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