The Solomon Islands government says it followed the correct procedure when it appointed new police commissioner, Fiji national Jahir Khan.
Mr Khan, who has been an assistant police commissioner with the Fiji Police, was sworn in by the governor general last week.
The previous police commissioner, Australian Shane Castles, was declared an undesirable immigrant when he was on his Christmas break.
The Public Service Commission's chair, Edmund Andresen, has voiced concern over the appointment, saying the position was not advertised and that prime minister hand-picked Mr Khan.
But the secretary to the prime minister, John Roughan, says the position was advertised.
"Maybe the ministry has not been advised about it, but it has been advertised overseas. this is why the different organisations, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, UK, have submitted names, so it has certainly been advertised, it was not simply handpicked by one person."
John Roughan also says the government is within its rights to advertise the position without the public service commission's knowledge.
