New Zealander Replace As New Solomon's Police Chief Appointed
posted
23rd August 2000
By
Duran Angiki
GIZO,Solomon
Islands: The Solomon Islandsš government has appointed a new police
commissioner to replace the expatriate holder of the post. Morton
Siriheti, the new political appointee, took his appointment under
oath before the Acting Governor General, Paul Tovua, in Honiara
yesterday. The New Zealand post holder and former Auckland police
commissioner, Rererangi Rangihika, left the country for Australia
a week prior to the Malaita Eagle Force (MEF) coup on June 5. A
government spokesman confirmed yesterday that the Prime Minister,
without the resignation of the legitimate post-holder, appointed
Siriheti.
Sources close to the Public Service Commission, the recruiting body
of the Solomons government, said normally the post needed to be
advertised. But sources said the government decision to bypass the
legal requirement had caused friction between the Public Service
Commission (PSC) and the prime minister. It reported that the prime
minister, without prior consultation with the PSC chairman, appointed
Siriheti on the ground that the post-holder had "neglected duty".
In response, the PSC refused to endorse the appointment, saying
it was unprocedural because the New Zealander had not resigned and
only been given leave to get medical treatment in Australia. Sources
said the PSC finally bowed to the prime ministeršs directive after
the PM threatened to fire the chairman. Police commissioner Siriheti,
of ethnic Malaitan origin, took early retirement in 1999 amid controversy
over his alleged involvement incorrupt dealing. Since the Malaita
Eagle Force (MEF) took over the Solomon Islands police armoury and
weapons on June 5, the majority of non-Malaitan police officers
had fled Honiara. The MEF operation under Wilfred Akao decided to
recruite100 MEF members to the force and also ceased the wages of
more than 100 non-Malaitan officers, who fled after the June coup.
The
worsening situation in the MEF operation led the president of the
Solomon Islands Police Union, Superintendent David Bale, to call
for the appointment of a commissioner. Superintendent Bale said
members of his union had encountered many problems that only a police
commissioner could address. The post of the Solomons police commissioner
had been vacant since June this year following Rangihikašs absence.
The MEF appointed the current Deputy Commissioner of Police, Wilfred
Akao, as the commissioner of police under the guise of head of the
MEF Operation. The appointment of Siriheti becomes the second Solomon
Islander to hold the job after two overseas appointments in the
last four years.
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