Let Justice prevail and Rugby becomes the winner
The beans have spilled ahead of the Attorney General Siromi Turaga’s big Fiji Rugby Union announcement which he was supposed to make on Monday.
Why he backed out on his word to report the big changes on the fate of Rugby House is unknown.
But lawyer, and nominee of the Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Simione Valenitabua, has confidently come forward to make known his appointment as interim administrator.
The remainder of the trustees will be announced by Mr Turaga.
Followed by the trustee members appointment, a special general meeting will be called. On the latter, it is hoped that this will be done sooner rather than later.
But when? Is a question that only Mr Turaga can answer after repeated calls and messages by our reporters remained unanswered.
Even the former board members of FRU are in the dark.
The FRU annual general meeting was to be conducted on April 29, but Mr Turaga’s intervention, in exercise of his legal powers, put a hold on this. Meanwhile, Mr Valenitabua’s mandate is to ensure FRU and its affiliated clubs comply with the Charitable Trusts Act 1945 and are registered as legal entities.
This, he believes, will enhance transparency, accountability, and legality in the management of funds donated to unions by donors.
And while we’re on the topic of transparency, perhaps the new administration can also consider the financials of Rugby House be available for public consumption in the interest of a rugby-crazy nation. Good governance and integrity are important principles valued by World Rugby, and Mr Valenitabua understands the importance of these principles.
His plan to review and amend the FRU constitution governing its affairs as a charitable trust is positive move.
For years, FRU has been riddled with controversies and those surfaced may just be the tip of the iceberg. Mr Valenitabua’s intention to work hand in hand with unions and seek technical and financial assistance from World Rugby demonstrates his commitment to achieving his mandate.
This includes the financial restructure of the FRU, which is part of the recommendations made by the auditors, is a challenge that Mr Valenitabua and the new interim board of trustees will have to address. This, coupled with the task of establishing unions’ constitutions governing their affairs in line with the constitution of the FRU trustees’ board as a charitable trust, is an extensive process that requires collaboration and commitment from all stakeholders. His commitment to seek technical and financial assistance from World Rugby is an indication of his willingness to learn from best practices and to apply them in his mandate.
But while his appointment may appear like repeat of the former administration’s bid to place a government nominee in a position of power, let’s hope that justice prevails and the game of rugby will continue to be played and loved by Fijians.