By Staff Writer
The Minister of Justice, Matamua Ms. Vasati Pulufana, went on the warpath during the week in the form of a threatening letter to the staff of the Ministry of Justice and the Lands and Titles Court.
The Minister was in a wrath at what she condemned as the ‘illegal swearing in’ of new judges of the Lands and Titles Court.
Her letter dated 15th December 2021 was circulated to warn the staff not to be involved in the planned event last Friday 17th December 2021 inside court chambers.
The letter threatened serious disciplinary actions by the Public Service Commission against any staff who ignore the ministerial directive.
Matamua also directed that the Ministry is not to cover any costs for holding the event as standard requirement in past swearing-ins.
“There will be no swearing-in conducted on Ministry premises, involving any Ministry staff or any Ministry resources whatsoever,” the Minister wrote.
“I direct that no staff of the Ministry are to take any part whatsoever in any such swearing in tomorrow or any other day, until further notice.
“I direct any staff doing so will be referred to the Public Service Commission for disciplinary action.
“I also direct no resources are to be used for such illegal ceremony.”
The Minister referred to the legal position outlined by the Attorney General to claim that the swearing-in was against the law.
Matamua went on to question the credibility of members of the Lands and Titles Court bench and doubts their right to ‘hold office when they seek to act against the law…”
The Minister’s angry letter goes back to what started with the appointment of the Electoral Commissioner, Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio, to be the new deputy President of the Lands and Titles Court.
The Judiciary Services Commission, JSC, made the appointment.
The President of the Lands and Titles Court, Fepulea’i Attila Ropati chaired the three-member Commission.
Justice Tafaoimalo Leilani Tuala-Warren and lady Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Lauano Vaosa Epa were the other Commission members.
The Minister, however, challenged the appointment based on what she claimed to be several illegal provisions of the Act that established the Lands and Titles Court as an independent arm of the Judiciary.
A ‘Pickwick’ sitting of the court for an urgent ruling to stop swearing-in only a few hours from going ahead as scheduled on Friday made no order to do so.
The swearing-in went ahead attended by a large gathering of families and friends with the staff of the Ministry of Justice and Lands and Titles Court noticeably missing.
New deputy President Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio was sworn in together with assistant President Leaupepe Fatupula and judge Taueva Lelevaga Fa’afouina Mupo.