Manoa Kamikamica has refuted comments attributed to FijiFirst general secretary, Aiyaz Sayed- Khaiyum that former Prime Ministers Sitiveni Rabuka, Mahendra Chaudhry and late Laisenia Qarase also served as Minister Responsible for Elections.

The People’s Alliance deputy party leader said Mr Sayed-Khaiyum needs an education on what ministerial assignment and ministerial portfolios are.

In response, Mr Kamikamica claims the late Mr Qarase, Mr Chaudhry and Mr Rabuka never held ministerial portfolio of the assigned office.

He claimed the previous prime ministers had ministerial assignments which had no control over election process, but rather they were given oversight to the assigned office.

“Any senior Government officer will explain that ministerial assignment gives oversight to the assigned offices or agencies,” Mr Kamikamica said.

“It is different from a ministerial portfolio in which the minister as- signed has overall responsibility over that ministry.”

Mr Kamikamica said in the late of Mr Qarase’s case, the Elections Office was part of his ministerial assignment. He added that this was true for Prime Ministers Chaudary and Mr Rabuka as well.

“But they were never given the ministerial portfolio of elections,” Mr Kamikamica said.

“That only went to Mr Sayed- Khaiyum.”

Mr Kamikamica said the late Mr Qarase, Mr Rabuka and late Turaga Tui Nayau, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara were chairman of their gov- erning political parties whereas Mr Sayed-Khaiyum is the active general secretary of the FijiFirst.

“So, his (Mr Sayed-Khaiyum) additional portfolio of Minister Responsible for Elections constitutes a serious conflict of interest,” Mr Kamikamica claimed.

“Mr Sayed-Khaiyum’s assumption of the Public Service Commission (PSC) portfolio is also a serious conflict of interest while holding the portfolios of Minister of Economy and A-G simultaneously.”

Apology Needed

“I want to address Mr Sayed- Khaiyum’s response to what I said about the status of the late Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase,” Mr Kamikamica said.

“He said that I lied when I said that he had.

“He owes the family of late Mr Qarase an apology for dragging his name into this debate.”

Mr Kamikamica said he still stood by what was disclosed last Sunday when he said that Mr Sayed-Khaiyum is wrong and that he lied about Mr Qarase being the Minister for Elections.

“He never did, nor was Mr Chaudhry or Mr Rabuka. They never served as minister for elections when they were Prime Minister,” Mr Kamikamica said.

Gazettes

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum on Tuesday night presented to members of the media gazettes dating back to the 1990s which revealed who the Ministers Responsible for Elections were before him.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum presented evidence of Mr Qarase, Mahendra Chaudhry and Sitiveni Rabuka being minister’s responsible for elections during their terms.

Mr Rabuka had the assignment in 1992, 1994 and 1997.

Mr Chaudhry in 1999 and the late Laisenia Qarase in 2001 and 2006.

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