5 Feb 2016

Speculation Fiji military man will keep top police job

8:30 am on 5 February 2016

A member of the body which makes key appointments in Fiji believes the current acting police commissioner, a military man, will get the job long-term.

The prime minister Frank Bainimarama, who led a military coup in 2006, appointed land force commander Colonel Sitiveni Qiliho as the acting police commissioner after the sudden resignation of Ben Groenewald in November.

The Fiji opposition leader, Ro Teimumu Kepa, is a member of the Constitutional Offices Commission, which gives advice on key office holders but said she's outnumbered by government people.

She said the prime minister didn't act in a proper manner when he appointed Sitiveni Qiliho for a three month term and believes he will stay on.

"The fact he has come in as acting, we know that that will be endorsed for him to be the appointment as commissioner will be given to Qiliho. I know that is what is going to happen because that is what has been happening in the past."

Ro Teimumu said she no longer attends commission meetings because she gets no say.