![Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre Coordinator Shamima Ali. [image: FWCC/Facebook]](https://www.fijivillage.com/news_images/611107457614297efba084c4b8735d.jpg)
Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre Coordinator and member of the Fiji CSO Alliance, Shamima Ali is calling on the Prime Minister to immediately sack Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum because at end of the day, the actions of his ministers, good or bad, is a direct reflection on the Prime Minister’s leadership.
Following the sacking of the CEO of Fiji Bureau of Statistics, Ali says it would be even better if the Minister of many portfolios does the right thing and resigns for the good of Fiji.
Shamima Ali says the termination of the CEO of the Fiji Bureau of Statistics employment contract by the Ministry of Economy’s acting Permanent Secretary is draconian from a government that has lost credibility and is in chaos.
She says Kemueli Naiqama was unceremoniously dismissed and escorted off the premises by a few men for allegedly releasing data based on ethnicity from the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES), which detailed the extent of poverty in the country.
Ali says in other democracies, the Bureau of Statistics operates independently of government and ministerial influence and is protected and safeguarded for the work it does in producing official statistics that serves as a compass to shape and guide development policies in areas like social protection, basic infrastructure, local economic development, water and sanitation, housing, health and help create a just and fair society.
She questions the Economy Ministry’s rationale behind the termination and questions what was wrong in releasing data based on ethnicity.
Ali says our citizens have a right to know data based on ethnicity or any data for instance that is collected by a taxpayer-funded office for the good of the people.
The Women’s Crisis Centre Coordinator says a public office holder and Fiji’s chief statistician who has contributed so much towards the country through his work has been sent home for telling the truth and just because he did not do his work the AG’s way.
She says it’s either the AG’s way or the highway.
Ali says in a democracy, one does not get rid of people without due process and especially in the civil service.
The political activist says this country is fed up of Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum’s rhetoric, incompetency and childish behavior.
Ali says says the AG has to stop behaving like a spoilt brat when things do not go his way.
She also says it’s like if the AG doesn’t like you, or if you fail to follow his directives, you can be sacked, arrested or worse, deported.
Ali reminds the Minister of many portfolios that he has been elected to serve the people of the country and he serves at the pleasure of the voters.
We have sent questions to the Prime Minister and the Attorney General asking for comments regarding the call made by Shamima Ali. They are yet to respond.
