‘Check your facts’
Pio: Fiji is a different country now, the minister does not tell people what to do
FIJI is a different country now and the Minister does not tell people what to do.
Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Pio Tikoduadua made this comment while responding to the allegations made by Opposition member of Parliament Viliame Naupoto that his interference in the work of the tactical-level police teams were damaging the morale of the Fiji Police Force.
In a social media post, Mr Naupoto claimed that Mr Tikoduadua continued to do damage to the reputation and morale of the Fiji Police Force by intervening directly with the tactical-level police teams deployed on the ground.
He was referring to Mr Tikoduadua’s intervention at the International Women’s Day Reclaim the Night march on Wednesday this week after a police officer refused to allow people to wear West Papua tshirts during the march.
Mr Naupoto said under the Constitution the minister was only allowed to issue general policy directions to the Commissioner of Police therefore he had no power to intervene.
“In addition, Section 129 (5)(b) of the Constitution states that ‘The Commissioner of Police is responsible for the deployment and control of its operations and subject to subsection (6), is not subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority in relation to those matters’,” he said.
“The two disciplined forces under his portfolio, the Fiji Police and the Republic of Fiji Military Forces are hierarchical and function through a chain of command, honourable Tikoduadua should understand this, given his military background.”
In a statement released yesterday, Mr Tikoduadua urged Mr Naupoto to “check his facts”.
“Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto has accused me of damaging the morale and reputation of the police force and interfering in its operations during the ‘Reclaim the Night’ march on Wednesday, he should check his facts,” Mr Naupoto said.
“On Wednesday, March 8, the Minister for Women Lynda Tabuya, called me to say that the police were refusing to allow t-shirts in support of West Papua to be worn by marchers.
“I am, like her, accountable to the people for the actions of the Government. The actions of the police are within my remit.”
He said the police issued a permit for the march to take place and the conditions of the permit did not ban the wearing of tshirts in support of West Papua.
“There would be no reason for such a ban, Fiji is a free country now and people may express themselves (lawfully) as they wish, including on West Papua.
“I have made very clear that the police must act lawfully and respect the rights of others, including their freedom of expression.”
He said senior officers of the Fiji Police Force strongly supports him on this matter.
“However, some of the unnecessary controlling instincts of the last government remain ingrained.
“Where there are differences, we try to resolve them through discussion and dialogue.
“That was how we resolved this issue.
“I do not interfere in police operations and I did not interfere in this case. I expressed my views to the Commissioner and the officer supervising the march but I left it to the police to decide.”