The United Nations Resident Coordinator to Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, Sanaka Samarasinha is currently on administrative leave, after complaints against him of alleged unsatisfactory conduct.
In a response from the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRCO), they said this is a matter currently under consideration and is being taken very seriously.
They said that this administrative leave placed on Samarasinha is an administrative measure, and is not a disciplinary measure.
“All due process rights will be respected and, given confidentiality requirements, no other information on the process can be provided.”
The United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office indicated that Samarasinha was also coming to the end of his assignment, and his successor has already been selected.
His replacement will present his credentials to the Fijian Government soon and to the host country’s.
However, in the meantime, Heike Alefsen, Regional Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for the Pacific, has been appointed as Interim Resident Coordinator.
Samarasinha is on administrative leave with full pay.
Meanwhile, RNZ Pacific understands the UN chief’s electronic devices have been confiscated and he has also been told to leave the country.
SOURCE: FIJI LIVE/RNZ PACIFIC/PACNEWS
