The civil society group Maliata Ma’sina Forum (MMF) has reiterated calls to the Prime Minister to quickly announce and fill the post of new police commissioner.
The call came following months of wait for the Prime Minister to announce the new police commissioner.
A reliable source has told this paper more than five weeks ago that the police and prison service commission had already given its recommendation to the prime minister’s office.
It was revealed the report should have been on the Prime Minister’s table already and that the PM should not make any excuses but just to make the announcement.
Solomon Star was reliably told that the PPSC had recommended a Fijian for the police commissioner’s post after a thorough interview.
However until today, nothing has been made formal thus forcing MMF to reiterate the call for the PM to quickly make the announcement.
“Too much bad news has been made public about the ill-discipline force and its poor performance in upholding law and order. This shows off an unhealthy force. How long will this country wait for someone to bring back the force to its knees?” Charles Dausabea questioned.
He said it will be a big mistake to wait till the last minute to announce the police commissioner.
Adding, national election is coming up and the force needs a leader to prepare strategies on how the force can strategise its operations during this time.
Dausabea said he don’t want to see the repeat of what police and RAMSI did to him to put him behind bars for nothing and call on PM Lilo to put the interest of this nation before politics.
“Lilo should announce the new police chief before he goes down to his province by the end of the week. If Lilo said the report is yet to arrive at his desk then he is making a big fat lie before this nation,” Dausabea claimed.
He said MMF will be watching closely every developments relating to this issue to see the interest of this nation is put in front of any political interest.
However this week the press secretary to the Prime Minister told this paper the public should respect the process by which things are done.
Adding it is not good for the public to make unnecessary comments while things are in process.
Douglas Marau said everyone should respect the process and wait patiently for the finalisation of the process and then the announcement should be made public.
BY DANIEL NAMOSUAIA
