Three short-listed for chief migration officer

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
THREE officers have been short-listed to replace Solomon Kantha who has been removed as the chief migration officer, an official says.
Immigration and Citizenship Authority advisory board chairman David Manning said they were aware of Kantha’s removal and had submitted three candidates from within the authority.
The three names are to be submitted to Immigration and Border Security Minister Westley Nukundj who will pick Kantha’s successor.
Manning, also appointed on Monday as the Police Commissioner, said Nukundj had relayed to the board his reason for removing Kantha. He did not disclose the reason.
However sources familiar with the matter said Kantha’s appointment on Nov 26, 2017 was “flawed” because the State Solicitor had not formally cleared his appointment.
In response, Kantha said if that was the case, then someone in authority such as the minister or Cabinet should have informed him.
“This is very disappointing in the sense that I was not formally served a notice by my minister, the NEC or the Department of Personnel Management that I have been either suspended or revoked,” he said.
“This is clearly an abuse of authority.
“I’m disappointed that the NEC had made a decision in breach of the public service process in terms of making an acting appointment.
“As it stands, I believe that I’m still the chief migration officer until such time I receive a notice (that I have been replaced).”
He is seeking legal advice on the matter.
“There is no basis for my removal. There is no performance-based report or any serious allegation level against me,” he said.
“This organisation is the best performing agency in the whole of Government so far.”