President Ratu Josefa Iloilo has accepted the apology from the Interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum after he admitted making a mistake yesterday in appointing Adi Koila Nailatikau as chairperson of the Constituency Boundaries Commission.
In a statement issued in the last hour, the Office of the President said it respects the Attorney General and in particular the Interim Administration’s genuine desire to take Fiji back to the road of democracy, hence the mistake made should not be taken out of context.
It said the Office of the President is mindful of the fact that the due process of facilitating the elections will have teething problems especially when the time factor is against us and therefore urge members of the public to support the Interim Government's effort in moving the country forward.
Government House said the mistake has been ratified and it looks forward to working with the Interim Attorney General in appointing a Chairperson of the Constituency Boundaries Commission.
The Interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum apologized for the oversight in appointing Adi Koila Nailatikau has Chairperson of the Constituency Boundaries Commission after realizing that a former Senator is not eligible to take up the post.
Meanwhile, Fiji Human Rights Commissioner and Fiji Women's Crisis Centre Coordinator Shamima Ali said the interim government should do some serious thinking especially with regards to the Interim Attorney General's position.
However, Sayed-Khaiyum said the problem has been rectified and the matter should rest here.
Reference was made to Section 77 of the Constitution whereby it states that a person must not be appointed as a member of the commission if he or she is, or has at any time during the immediately preceding 4 years, been, a member of either House of the parliament, of a local authority or of another representative body prescribed by the parliament.
Adi Koila Nailatikau was a senator last year.
