STATEMENT
[Nov/12/ 2015]
The Leader of Opposition, Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa today called on FICAC Deputy Commissioner Langman to do the honorable thing and step down after his so-called obfuscation and error riddled investigation into the Opposition's complaint of breach of section 24(5) of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Decree 2013 by the Attorney-General and Minister for Finance, Public Enterprises, Public Service and Communications and General Secretary of the Fiji First Party.
"Mr Langman has proven his incompetence in this investigation by stating that Hon Khaiyum overstated the value of his asset. The point remains that whether Hon Khaiyum 'overstated' or 'understated' his assets, it is still a clear breach of the Decree. Nowhere in the Decree are any allowances made for overstating one's assets and that is very clear in section 27 of the Decree."
"The very rationale for our declarations to be accurate and transparent from the start is so that the taxpayers get to see over time, from beginning to end, whether politicians have enriched themselves while in office." asserts Kepa.
The Leader of Opposition said as such Langman's shoddy assessment has brought FICAC into disrepute because a constitutional body mandated as the independent national watchdog on corrupt and illegal conduct, has undermined its own credibility in the eyes of the taxpaying public.
"The Opposition's follow-up complaint to the Electoral Commission lays out the errors of Deputy Commissioner Langman's questionable assessment which in fact confirmed to the Opposition Office that the Midlife Investment Ltd file did exist in the Registrar of Companies Office despite many repeated searches by the Opposition Office prior, and that by some miracle the file became publicly available shortly after." states Ro Teimumu.
"The Opposition's follow-up complaint dated 29th October looks to the Electoral Commission to do right by the PPD and for the Permanent Secretary for Elections as Registrar to institute its own investigations given that FICAC only has jurisdiction over election-related offences." adds the Leader of Opposition.
"Mr Langman's letter states that FICAC has 'unequivocal jurisdiction' over this matter basing it on 'FICAC Promulgation No 12 of 2007'. In actual fact it is 'FICAC Promulgation No 11 of 2007' as Promulgation No 12 as cited in his letter is related 'Prevention of Bribery which is a further indictment on Langman's incompetence." added Kepa.
Authorized By
Ro Teimumu Kepa
[Nov/12/ 2015]
The Leader of Opposition, Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa today called on FICAC Deputy Commissioner Langman to do the honorable thing and step down after his so-called obfuscation and error riddled investigation into the Opposition's complaint of breach of section 24(5) of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Decree 2013 by the Attorney-General and Minister for Finance, Public Enterprises, Public Service and Communications and General Secretary of the Fiji First Party.
"Mr Langman has proven his incompetence in this investigation by stating that Hon Khaiyum overstated the value of his asset. The point remains that whether Hon Khaiyum 'overstated' or 'understated' his assets, it is still a clear breach of the Decree. Nowhere in the Decree are any allowances made for overstating one's assets and that is very clear in section 27 of the Decree."
"The very rationale for our declarations to be accurate and transparent from the start is so that the taxpayers get to see over time, from beginning to end, whether politicians have enriched themselves while in office." asserts Kepa.
The Leader of Opposition said as such Langman's shoddy assessment has brought FICAC into disrepute because a constitutional body mandated as the independent national watchdog on corrupt and illegal conduct, has undermined its own credibility in the eyes of the taxpaying public.
"The Opposition's follow-up complaint to the Electoral Commission lays out the errors of Deputy Commissioner Langman's questionable assessment which in fact confirmed to the Opposition Office that the Midlife Investment Ltd file did exist in the Registrar of Companies Office despite many repeated searches by the Opposition Office prior, and that by some miracle the file became publicly available shortly after." states Ro Teimumu.
"The Opposition's follow-up complaint dated 29th October looks to the Electoral Commission to do right by the PPD and for the Permanent Secretary for Elections as Registrar to institute its own investigations given that FICAC only has jurisdiction over election-related offences." adds the Leader of Opposition.
"Mr Langman's letter states that FICAC has 'unequivocal jurisdiction' over this matter basing it on 'FICAC Promulgation No 12 of 2007'. In actual fact it is 'FICAC Promulgation No 11 of 2007' as Promulgation No 12 as cited in his letter is related 'Prevention of Bribery which is a further indictment on Langman's incompetence." added Kepa.
Authorized By
Ro Teimumu Kepa
