Sansan clarifies position

BY JEFFREY ELAPA
THE appointment of Faith Barton as acting Solicitor General after her contract expired in December last year stands, according to the Personnel Management Department.
Department Secretary Taies Sansan, pictured, in a letter dated Dec 14 to Dr Eric Kwa, the Secretary to the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, explained that the position of solicitor-general was initially advertised by her department on March 12 this year “upon the request of the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General”.
It followed the expiry of Barton’s contract of employment as solicitor-general last December.
“After the expiry of Ms Barton’s contract, the portfolio minister appointed her as acting solicitor-general to ensure continuity in the operations of the Office of Solicitor-General,” she said.
“That appointment was gazetted, and the instruments clearly reads that the acting appointment is made until a substantive appointment is made.”
Sansan said four applications were received in response to the advertisement in March, all of which were sent to Minister Davis Steven “to assess and consider the appointment of solicitor-general in line with the Attorney-General’s Act”.
“I understand the substantive appointment is still pending to date,” Sansan said.
She said the appointment of a state solicitor was also waiting for Steven to make a decision.
Sansan said she hoped Steven would make a substantive appointment of a solicitor-general based on the shortlist referred to his office.
“If he disagrees to make a substantive appointment, then the matter goes back to the drawing board for re-appointment,” Sansan said.
Steven had said earlier that he stood by his decision to sack Barton and appoint Tanovasi Tauvasa as acting solicitor-general. He accused Barton of failing to defend the State in a K180 million lawsuit which was awarded to a group of landowners recently.