By Anish Chand & Nanise Volau
Fiji’s National Federation Party has alleged a member of the Constitution Officers Commission is actively taking part in politics by assisting in the selection process of FijiFirst party candidates in the upcoming general elections.
And the NFP is asking Sanjay Kaba to clarify whether or not he is involved in the interview of applicants for candidacy of the ruling FijiFirst Party.
“We have reliable information that the COC member in question, Sanjay Kaba, together with Fiji First general secretary Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, is interviewing applicants seeking candidacy of the Party in the elections,” claims NFP Leader Dr Biman Prasad.
However, Kaba has neither confirmed nor denied this claim.
“I am not going to comment on that,” Kaba said when questioned by Islands Business this morning.
The NFP Leader, in a statement challenged Kaba to be honest in revealing his role “because anything else would lead us to publicly reveal more information on what the applicants for Fiji First candidacy are allegedly told by Mr Kaba”.
Dr Prasad says the COC is an independent body and its integrity has to be maintained.
“His close proximity to FijiFirst is well known. This also brings into question his appointment to several boards of statutory organisations including the Fiji National Provident Fund”. “It is for both Mr Kaba and the FijiFirst General Secretary to come out publicly and provide honest answers,” says Dr Prasad.
Last month, Islands Business had asked Kaba whether he was still the Fiji First Party’s treasurer, to which he replied “I only support the party, but I do not hold any official capacity.”
The magazine had put the question to him after it was told that a company that Kaba is a partner of had won the suppliers’ contract for the proposed work on the new office of the Prime Minister.