Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum should be sacked “for failing the many ministerial portfolios he holds”.
Political activist and CSO Alliance member Shamima Ali said this in a statement issued yesterday in response to the sacking of Fiji Bureau of Statistics chief executive officer Kemueli Naiqama.
She said the country “seems to be ruled by one man and the Prime Minister and the rest of his Cabinet Ministers are supporting this undemocratic style of leadership by remaining silent and are reduced to being his cheerleaders”.
“The A-G has to stop behaving like a spoilt brat when things do not go his way,” Ms Ali said.
“It’s like if the A-G doesn’t like you, or if you fail to follow his directives, you can be sacked, arrested or worse, deported.
“He has no respect for other people, their point of view, their contributions, their intelligence and he himself has failed the many ministerial portfolios he holds.”
Ms Ali said Mr Sayed-Khaiyum should be reminded he was elected to serve the people of Fiji and he served at the pleasure of the voters.
“I call upon the Prime Minister to immediately sack Mr Sayed-Khaiyum because at end of the day, the actions of his ministers, good or bad, are a direct reflection on the Prime Minister’s leadership.
“Or better still, the minister of many portfolios should do the right thing and resign for the good of our beloved country.”
Questions sent to Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, his office and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum yesterday on the comments made by Ms Ali remain unanswered.
Mr Naiqama was removed from his office on Wednesday for releasing ethnic and religious data in the 2019-2020 Household Income and Expenditure Survey.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said his actions were in breach of section 5 of the Statistics Act.
