“He (Mr Amrit) has no expertise in this field and there are career civil servants who have been in the diplomatic service, and they should have been considered for this position,” Mr Chaudhry said.
Ajay Bhai Amrit. Inset: Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.
Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry has raised concerns about the appointment of Fiji’s new High Commissioner to Australia, Ajay Bhai Amrit.
The Fiji Labour Party leader said Mr Amrit lacked the qualifications and knowledge required for the position.
Mr Amrit replaces former Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development permanent secretary David Kolitagane, who was posted to the role in November last year.
Mr Chaudhry labelled the appointment as no different from the FijiFirst Government appointments.
“He (Mr Amrit) has no expertise in this field and there are career civil servants who have been in the diplomatic service, and they should have been considered for this position,” Mr Chaudhry said.
“It seems that the People’s Alliance (PA) party or the Coalition Government has now come down to say that it’s the job for boys and girls.
“First it was Filipo Tarakinikini in New York, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola in Wellington and now Ajay Amrit in Canberra and these are all people who are either officials or supporters of the coalition partners, especially PA.
“It can be seen that they are doing what FijiFirst was doing appointing their people irrespective of merit to senior positions in the Government is the reward for supporting them during the election and maybe financing them.”
Mr Chaudhry highlighted there was no accountability and transparency in the process.
A spokesperson for one party in the three-legged coalition said: “The caliber of High Commissioner to Australia is surely an insult to the foreign fraternity, especially those who have served Fiji’s head of mission around the word.”
Public Service Commission (PSC) chair Luke Rokovada said Mr Amrit had applied for the job when the tender was published.
“He (Mr Amrit) applied for the job when it was advertised. Mr Amrit had every right to apply for the job. As far as I am concerned, he applied for the job.”
Permanent Secretary Civil Service Parmesh Chand says Mr Amrit will tender his resignation for his Fijian Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) chairmanship role.
Mr Amrit was appointed FBC chair nine months ago. He is one of the founders of the PA.
Questions were sent to Mr Amrit regarding the concerns raised by Mr Chaudhry, but no response was received when this edition went to press.
Former civil servant Jioji Kotobalavu said the criticism by Mr Chaudhry, and others of the selection of Mr Amrit by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to serve as Fiji’s Ambassador to Australia was unfounded and petty.
“Under section 128 of Fiji’s 2013 Constitution, all of Fiji’s Ambassadors and other diplomatic representatives overseas are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister. So, Mr Amrit has the full confidence of our Prime Minister, who is also Fiji’s Minister for Foreign Affairs. This is very important for an Ambassador,” Mr Kotobalavu said.
“Mr Amrit will have fully available to him the professional support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Fiji Embassy staff in Canberra. He is not the first person from outside the Public Service, who has been appointed by the Government to serve Fiji as its Ambassador.
Mr Kotobalavu served not only as PS in the Prime Minister’s Office but also as PS for Foreign Affairs, and Fiji’s first Ambassador to Japan, China and South Korea during his long career in Fiji’s civil service.
The new ambassador to China is likely to be named soon.
This was after Fijians based in Beijing, China were invited to a farewell ceremony over the weekend.
Feedback: wati.talebula@fijisun.com.fj