Radrodro queries departure

FIJIANS should know the real reason behind the resignation of Land Transport Authority chief executive officer Samuel Charles Simpson, says Opposition spokesman on Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Aseri Radrodro.

Mr Radrodro said Mr Simpson had joined a trend where expatriates abandoned their contract midway during their appointment.

“The CEO LTA was being paid $500,000 which made him one of the most highly paid persons in Fiji and his sudden departure requires an audit of how much was he able to achieve against his terms of reference and if his deliverables have not been 100 per cent fulfilled, then someone needs to be held accountable for all that loss to taxpayers’ money,” said Mr Radrodro.

Mr Radrodro also called on the (LTA) board to make a substantive appointment for a local to the position of CEO.

“This is a critical institution of government that requires a full-time person to handle the many challenges confronting the organisation during this COVID-19 pandemic times.

“It is sad that government does not want to listen and accept that their continuous hiring of expatriates is an expensive exercise that has failed miserably.”

He claimed the operations of LTA and morale of the staff members, stakeholders and operators that use our roads had been affected.

Questions sent to Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport Faiyaz Koya remained unanswered when this edition went to press last night.