Political Masters Move Quickly to Stamp their Mark, Show They are in Control

by Nemani Delaibatiki

The scenes playing out before the nation of the latest developments in the Public Service Commission and the Constitutional Offices Commission tell us a clear story.

Our political masters have the control of Government and all its institutions.

Their mandate is four years.

At the end their term in office their fate is again left in the hands of the people, the voters.

If by 2026, the voters choose a new Government then we could see new changes.

The process of change is continuing as the coalition Government of The People’s Alliance, National Federation Party and SODELPA moves quickly to implement policies that it promised the people. Current members of the Public Service Commission have resigned or are in the process of resigning. The six: Vishnu Mohan (chairperson) and members Nesbitt Hazelman, Mahmood Khan, Shaenaz Voss, Jenny Seeto and Nikita Patel, were appointed by the FijiFirst Government with the concurrence of the President who officially announced their appointments.

Reforms made

They made sure that the reforms and policies of the FijiFirst Government were carried out.

The reforms, based on the principle of merit in the recruitment of people to join the civil service included the controversial introduction of contracts and lowering the retirement age from 60 to 55.

The coalition Government members wanted the removal of the contracts and raising the retirement age to 60 when they were in the Opposition and the issues became two of the items in the coalition Government wanted to change in its first 100 days.

President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere was also nominated by the FijiFirst Government which used its majority in Parliament to elect him.

Government has control

So the Government of the day is virtually in control.

It’s a reality that we cannot ignore when we talk about the doctrine of the separation of power.

In theory the legislature (Parliament), the executive (civil service) and the judiciary act independently of each other to prevent abuse of office and corruption.

In practice the demarcation lines that separate them are blurred. Many of the appointments under the current system of governance are politically motivated.

It makes sense when we consider that the new Government wants to implement its policies and would need people who are committed to their cause.

It has four years to do it. In the bigger picture, this is what democracy is all about.