Military Commander Ro Jone Kalouniwai has defended his decision to speak out against the appointment of Filimoni Vosarogo as potential attorney-general, saying he was only doing his duty.
Speaking on The Lens@177, he said in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), they had a concept where responsibilities were shouldered by officers in terms of what they could and could not do.
“Now if somebody doesn’t do something right, we have the responsibility to tell them, you’re not really right, you need to move in this direction,” he said.
“So, when you are talking about the case (Vosarogo), it’s just me speaking to the minister that you need to be careful, there are implications if you put Fili in that seat.”
He said the Constitution outlined that if there was a legal officer who had a misdemeanour, he must not sit in that particular chair.
“My concern is the repercussion of things happening, so it’s my responsibility as a senior officer to provide that advice to the minister.
“It’s better that we tell him that these are our concerns.
“It’s a way of helping assist the Government just to understand that if you are moving in this space, this is the repercussion. Legally, this is what will happen, socially and economically, this is what will happen, from a security perspective.
“That is my responsibility through the line minister.”
When quizzed about what would happen should the minister choose not to listen to these concerns, Ro Kalouniwai said that was his prerogative as the line minister.
“He will have to answer for that himself. I’m playing my part, I’m telling him what has happened, my advice and that is what I need to do.
“That is part of my Constitutional responsibility.”
