Administrator resigns
Minister confirms complaints
LOCAL Government Minister Maciu Nalumisa says complaints have been received against the executive management and special administrators of municipal councils.
Speaking at a forum for municipal council CEOs and special administrators in Lautoka yesterday, Mr Nalumisa said the complaints were from ratepayers, market vendors and residents.
“Some municipal councils are not addressing the complaints, even worse, not even acknowledging the complaints,” the minister said.
“The councils must acknowledge the complaints and resolve them within the turnaround time.”
Mr Nalumisa said he encountered the same while in Labasa and Savusavu last week.
“During these consultations, there were a lot of complaints received from ratepayers, and were directed at the administrators and executive management of the council.
“So, that is something that we are going to do as we move forward now.”
Mr Nalumisa said municipal councils must provide the essential services they were mandated to provide.
A RECENTLY appointed special administrator for the Rakiraki Town Council has resigned.
Sanjay Prakash, the former acting chief executive officer of the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji, was charged by the Fiji Independent Commission against
Corruption (FICAC) with a count of obtaining a financial advantage in 2018 with the matter still before the courts in Lautoka.
He was appointed as one of the 42 special administrators by the Coalition Government this year.
When queried by this newspaper yesterday Rakiraki/Tavua town councils CEO Sailosi Sawana said Mr Prakash had resigned.
“I had received news that he has resigned,” Mr Sawana said.
“You will have to ask the Ministry of Local Government officials because they are the ones handling it.”
Permanent secretary for the Local Government Ministry, Seema Sharma refused to comment on the issue.
was stopped by the personal assistant to the Minister for Local Government, Maciu Nalumisa, from asking him questions regarding Mr Prakash’s appointment.
The questions were related to how the ministry had over-looked the criminal charge against Mr Prakash when appointing him as a special administrator for Rakiraki.