SACKED Fiji Corrections Service (FCS) senior medical officer Dr Rayvan Singh was accused of acting in “Kaidia style” one day when he did not show up for work.
He told the tribunal inquiring into suspended Commissioner, Dr Jalesi Nakarawa’s alleged misconduct that the accusation was contained in an email from his supervisor Alivio Turaga, Dr Nakarawa and other senior officers
Dr Singh, who joined FCS in 2019, said he was sacked without cause two days after lodging a formal complaint about the racist remark.
He told the tribunal, comprising Justices Daniel Goundar, Dane Tuiqereqere, and Savenaca Banuve, that while based in the Central Division, he endured racist comments and professional interference from his supervisor, who often overruled medical transfer recommendations.
Dr Singh said he emailed Dr Nakarawa about the issue on January 18 this year and was summoned to a meeting with the commissioner and his supervisor two days later. He said that following the meeting, his supervisor was transferred to the Western Division and later promoted to Acting Commissioner of Corrections.
Although Dr Nakarawa directed the supervisor to apologise, Dr Singh said he felt the apology “was not genuine”.
Later that day, Dr Singh was told to conduct an orientation for new medical staff including Dr Nakarawa’s wife, who had joined the medical team. He revealed that he was not consulted about her posting.
He was then sacked later that same day.
Dr Singh had been transferred from Lautoka to Suva on January 1 and had served just 20 days in the position.
“I was in shock,” he said. “I had just moved my wife and children from Lautoka to Suva.
“We had settled in, and I was in the process of building a house. The termination came completely unexpectedly.”
Dr Singh maintains he was never warned, disciplined, or poorly appraised, and that his dismissal breached due process.
