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Fiji PM's staffers sacked

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Both private secretaries in the Office of the Prime Minister have been sacked.

They are the latest additions to the list of senior government officials sacked by the military.

Pene Nonu confirmed receiving a termination of employment letter signed by military-appointed caretaker Prime Minister Doctor Jona Senilagakali yesterday morning

Mr Nonu said he had expected the military to remove him.

The letter was delivered by a police orderly who received it from the military which delivered the dismissal note to the building.

Mr Nonu said he was going to discuss the matter with his family before they decided what he would do next.

He has been in the civil service for 15 years.

His counterpart and fellow private secretary Sakiasi Ditoka said he already knew about his sacking and declined to comment further.

Faxed questions sent to military-appointed caretaker Prime Minister Doctor Jona Senilagakali on the matter remained unanswered.

So far the military has given termination of employment letters to Public Service Commission chief executive officer Anare Jale, chief executive in the Prime Minister's Office Jioji Kotobalavu, Parliament Secretary-General Mary Chapman, Solicitor-General Nainendra Nand, PSC chairman Stuart Huggett and Supervisor of Elections Semesa Karavaki.

Others sacked on Tuesday were National Reconciliation Ministry CEO Apisalome Tudreu, Mr Ditoka and the principal legal officer in the PM's Office, Ilaitia Tamata.

Mr Ditoka and Mr Tamata are former military officers.

Finance Ministry CEO Paula Uluinaceva confirmed he had been sacked after hearing of it from the local media and confirming it with military spokesman Neumi Leweni.

Mr Uluinaceva has handed over the affairs of the ministry to deputy secretary, Aisake Taito.

In another development earlier, RFMF Land Force Commander Colonel Pita Driti confirmed to local media that Airports Fiji Limited CEO Ratu Sakiusa Tuisolia had been sacked.

Ratu Sakiusa denied this, claiming he was still in charge at AFL and he had yet to receive a letter terminating his employment.

AFL chairman Viliame Leqa had confirmed as far as he was concerned, Ratu Sakiusa was still in charge and no termination letter had been received.