The Chairman of the Great council of Chiefs Special Taskforce Ratu Tuakitau Cokanauto said he will seek a meeting with the Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama on the cabinet decision which has led to the Commander being appointment Chairman of the GCC.

After the taskforce met to discuss the matter the cabinets decision this afternoon, Ratu Tuakitau said they need to clarify what led Cabinet to change their recommendation.

The Chairman revealed that they were not counsulted on changes to the GCC regulations which now sees the appointment of the Indigenous Affairs Minister as the Chairman of the GCC.

Ratu Tuakitau revealed that the Taskforce had recommended that only a GCC member should be appoint the council chairman.

Earlier in the news today: 

The Great Council Taskforce did not recommend to cabinet that the Interim Prime Minister and Minister for Indigenous Affairs should be appointed as the new Chairperson of the Great Council of Chiefs.

A taskforce member said the appointment of Bainimarama contradicts what they have recommended. He said their recommendation was that the President, Vice President and Prime Minister should not be part of the GCC since they want the institution to be apolitical.

He said they discussed the issue with the GCC Taskforce Chair Ratu Tuakitau Cokanauto yesterday and are expected to comment later today.