Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s caretaker government has been advised not to make any new commitments at the Pacific Leaders Forum in Samoa next week.
The Forum will be held in Apia from September 4-8.
The Attorney General, Hon. ‘Aminiasi Kefu, has advised the caretaker government that it should defer any new policy decisions on bi-lateral or international relations until the next cabinet.
He told Kaniva News this afternoon this applied to the Forum Leaders Meeting. However, he said Cabinet Ministers may attend and deal with existing political commitments.
Hon. Kefu said representation at Ministerial level may be re-considered to avoid a Cabinet Minister making political commitments that might be changed by a new Cabinet.
The caretaker government has also been warned to keep a lid on expenditure while it is in caretaker mode.
Cabinet Ministers should not incur any unusual or unnecessary expenditure outside the normal operations of Ministries and agencies.
This included incurring loans or spending large amounts of money without the written approval of the caretaker Minister for Finance.
Normal necessary expenditure of Government Ministries and Agencies would continue. This would include projects already underway such as the construction of the Popua Park or the signing of contracts already approved as a proper public procurement under the Public Procurement Regulations.
New appointments to statutory posts should be deferred, unless they were normal public service appointments made by the Public Service Commission, such as to Government chief executive officer level; and
All Cabinet or Ministerial decisions or activity outside the normal operations of the government should be avoided if it decided they would be better left to a new cabinet.
The Attorney General said it was up to Cabinet whether or not to accept his advice.
The main points
- Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s caretaker government has been advised not to make any new commitments at the Pacific Leaders Forum in Samoa next week.
- The Forum will be held in Apia from September 4-8.
- The Attorney General, Hon. ‘Aminiasi Kefu, has advised the caretaker government that it should defer any new policy decisions on bi-lateral or international relations until the next cabinet.
- He told Kaniva News this afternoon this applied to the Forum Leaders Meeting. However, he said Cabinet Ministers may attend and deal with existing political commitments.
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