Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Pio Tikoduadua is stepping aside from his ministerial post after the discovery that passports had been issued illegally to children of individuals associated with what he has termed the “Grace Road human rights allegations.”
In a statement issued tonight Tikoduadua said he was taking this stand to uphold the integrity of his office.
“I believe that this action is necessary to ensure the inquiry is conducted impartially and without any perceptionpf of undue influence from my office.”
In making the announcement, Tikoduadua said he has notified Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and is yet to hear back from him.
“My commitment is to the people of Fiji and to maintaining the highest standards of governance. I assure you that I will fully cooperate with the investigation and work towards restoring any trust that may have been compromised. I understand the concern this issue may cause, and I am dedicated to resolving it promptly and transparently.”
Tikoduadua said the passports were issued with neither he nor Permanent Secretary Mason Smith’s knowledge.
“These passports appear to have been issued without my knowledge, without the approval of the Permanent Secretary, and without authorisation from senior management within the Department of Immigration. If confirmed, this constitutes a significant breach of our protocols and raises serious concerns about the internal oversight mechanisms within the department.”
