SODELPA’s parliamentary office posts to be advertised soon

The SODELPA management board will make new appointments for it’s parliamentary office positions after the posts are advertised and proper interviews are conducted.

SODELPA General Secretary, Pio Tabaiwalu confirms that the Principal Administrative Officer’s post currently held by Mick Beddoes and Assistant Administrative Officer’s post held by Adi Laufitu Malani will be filled after interviews with successful applicants.

Tabaiwalu confirms that the General Secretary’s post will also be advertised and the management board will choose the best applicant.

The positions will be advertised soon and the appointments will be made by January next year.

Tabaiwalu stresses that the job descriptions and salary levels will be assessed.

He says everything regarding their parliamentary office positions has to be transparent as taxpayers’ money is used to run the office.

Some questions were raised on the parliamentary office positions and the salary levels in the Special General Assembly yesterday.

As earlier highlighted, SODELPA will elect a party leader during it’s General Assembly in June next year.

Majority of the SODELPA members who attended their Special General Assembly yesterday agreed to amend the party constitution.

A major change is that the Party Leader may not necessarily be the Parliamentary Leader or vice versa.

Ro Teimumu Kepa is currently holding the posts of Party Leader and Parliamentary Leader.

The amended SODELPA constitution states that the Party Leader who successfully leads the Party to win the General Election shall become the Prime Minister according to the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji and automatically assumes the position of the Parliamentary Leader.

According to the amendments, when the party becomes the major party in Opposition, the members of Parliament shall elect a Parliamentary Leader from amongst themselves and the Leader of the Opposition shall be elected in Parliament as per the requirements of the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji.

It also states that when the party becomes the minority party in the Opposition, then the members of the Parliamentary Caucus shall elect a Parliamentary Leader from amongst themselves.

The amendments also state the role of the Party Leader who takes the Party to the General Election. The leader is to report to the Management Board and the person is accountable to the Management Board on parliamentary and political matters.