Ila’ava resumes acting post at agriculture dept

 vDR Vele Pat Ila’ava has been restored as acting secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Livestock.

The ruling was handed down in the Supreme Court by Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia yesterday. 

He ordered that the decision by Agriculture Minister Tommy Tomscoll to suspend Ila’ava as acting secretary be stayed.

He had also stayed the National Executive Council decision in February to suspend Ila’ava and appoint Vele Kagena.

Sir Salamo also ordered that the NEC swiftly make a permanent appointment.

The orders remain effective pending a final determination of the appeal by Ila’ava or until a permanent appointment is made, Sir Salamo said in his ruling.

“I find that the appellant (Ila’ava) has a strong arguable case that his suspension and revocation of his appointment and appointment of his replacement was done in breach of mandatory procedures prescribed by the Constitution and the Public Service Management Act,” he 

said.

Ila’ava’s judicial review at the National Court was earlier dismissed. He then took the matter to the Supreme Court.

Sir Salamo said: “They are both highly qualified and experienced public officials. Although Kagena has the upper edge in terms of being the deputy secretary of the department for many years and has the experience to run the department, he was overlooked previously in appointment for the position and an acting basis and Ila’ava was brought in from outside to fill the 

position.

“Ila’ava capably performed the job for over one year and developed adequate job experience before he was suspended.”