3 Feb 2016

No opposition presence on Fiji appointments body

2:55 pm on 3 February 2016
The leader of Fiji's main opposition party, Ro Teimumu Kepa.

The leader of Fiji's main opposition party, Ro Teimumu Kepa. Photo: RNZ / Sally Round

The Fiji opposition leader says she's no longer attending the commission tasked with giving advice on key appointments because it's not acting in a proper manner.

The Constitutional Offices Commission, which was set up according to the 2013 constitution, is made up of six people, including the chair - prime minister Frank Bainimarama.

Three others are on the government side - the attorney-general and two members appointed by the prime minister.

As the leader of the opposition, Ro Teimumu Kepa is a member, and until November last year lawyer Richard Naidu rounded out the group.

Mr Naidu resigned following the prime minister's appointment of the land force commander Colonel Sitiveni Qiliho as the acting police commissioner after the sudden resignation of Ben Groenewald.

Mr Naidu said Mr Bainimarama should have consulted the Commission even if the appointment was for an acting role, which Ro Teimumu was also critical of.

She said she'd written to the prime minister saying she won't attend any of the meetings until the Commission sorts itself out.