PSC probe allegations of unlawful termination

The Public Service Commission chairman, Luke Rokovada, has confirmed an inquiry was underway for claims made by Ratu Manoa Malani for unlawful termination in 2011.

The former Ministry of Public Enterprises, Communications, Civil Aviation and Tourism director is now claiming his back-dated salary of $30,169.85, hasn’t been paid yet.

Ratu Manoa said in 2010 the ministry suspended him for no reason and had only an hour to vacate his office.

He said there was an Employment Tribunal held in 2011 where the ministry sought to withdraw the case allowing Ratu Manoa four options.

The Tribunal was presided by the former magistrate Aminiasi Katonivualiku.

These included: 

• Withdrawing the case against Ratu Manoa;
• Seeking appropriate decision of the Prime Minister then, Laisenia Qarase;
• Reinstating and redeploying Ratu Manoa to another ministry and
• Advice concerning options on how to address the payment of $30,169.85

As of last week, Ratu Manoa said he wasn’t interested anymore in the other three options, and that he only wanted his backdated pay.

“We have two letters that have the ministry’s stamp indicating that the letter has reached it twice,” he said.

“What’s funny is that, in our last meeting with Mr Rokovada, he said that was the first time he had seen the letter.”

He claims it was during the tribunal when he was approached by a man in military uniform handing him his termination letter, without any reasoning.

Given that this was a complex and convoluted issue, Mr Rokovada said the ministry was still trying to establish which ministry was responsible for the outstanding claims by Ratu Manoa.

Ratu Manoa expects to meet again with Mr Rokovada to check for updates on the matter.

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