Former SSPM questions PMO officials

By EDDIE OSIFELO

FORMER Special Secretary to Prime Minister (SSPM), Andrew Muaki has questioned the integrity of some political appointees in the Office of Prime Minister and Cabinet (PMO) after they defended Chief of Staff Robson Djokovic.

This is after the current SSPM, Albert Kabui, stated in a PMO Media statement last week that the recent High Court decision concerning the citizenship status of Djokovic in no way impacts on his appointment as the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Kabui said this is because his employment is fully compliant with all relevant laws and legislations of the Solomon Islands. In this particular case the issue of citizenship and employment are not the same.

Therefore, Mr Robson Djokovic is still the Chief of Staff.

However, Muaki posted on social media that it is unfortunate that some officials within PMO are coming to the defence of the current Chief of Staff as regards his citizenship case with the SI Citizenship Commission, the Electoral Commission and the Political Parties Integrity Commission.

“Given that these defendants are public Institutions, the public expect officials in the PMO to come to the defence of these Institutions.

“It should be noted that the Electoral Commission and the Political Parties Integrity Commission come under the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,” Muaki said.

He said the minister responsible for these two important institutions is the Hon. Prime Minister himself.

“The prime minister is expected to defend these two Institutions both in public and on the floor of Parliament.

“It should be further noted that these Institutions have limited opportunities to engage in public debates given the nature of their statutory roles and responsibilities,” he said.

“Therefore, these Institutions bank their faith and trust on their ministry (PMO) to defend and protect their success in court.

“The least they expect is for officials at PMO to downplay their court success,” he said.

“Unfortunately some officials at PMO are already going in the opposite direction.

“Is this a sign that officials within PMO are pledging their support to the Chief of Staff instead of the government and country they serve?” he asked.

Muaki said the right thing to do is to support the High Court judgment and defend the success of the Electoral Commission, the Political Parties Integrity Commission and the Citizenship Commission.

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