Minister of Education, Aseri Radrodro will have to work with whatever he’s got left and that is his problem if he does not accept the appointment of Selina Kuruleca as the Permanent Secretary for Education.
This has been stated by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka after being asked by fijivillage News on what is his final decision after Radrodro rejected the Permanent Secretary appointment.
According to section 126 of the Constitution, the Public Service Commission has the functions to appoint permanent secretaries, with the agreement of the Prime Minister; and to remove permanent secretaries, with the agreement of the Prime Minister.
Rabuka says the PSC is allowed to do its own work and they will make a list of recommendations which he concurs with.
He says in this case, the Permanent Secretary appointed and contracted by the PSC is not acceptable to the Minister of Education which is now his problem.
When asked by fijivillage News if Radrodro had given him any reason as to why he rejected Kuruleca's appointment, Rabuka says that Radrodro just told him that he did not like her.
Rabuka also confirms that the union has no power to decide on who is appointed as the Permanent Secretary, and they had written to the Minister of Education, and not to him.
When asked if Radrodro wanted another person, Rabuka says there were some discussions on that.
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When approached by fijivillage News on the Prime Minister saying that Radrodro had said he did not like Kuruleca, Radrodro says his main reason is the teacher unions who do not want Kuruleca.
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Radrodro has not responded to our questions on the reason for his rejection of the PS appointment and the fact that the constitution states that the appointment is made by the PSC with the agreement of the Prime Minister. He also has not responded to the question on what is the final decision after his meeting with the Prime Minister.
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