Samoa’s Police Commissioner, Fuiavailili Egon Keil, has started a clean out of the country’s prison administration just days after he was handed the reins to the troubled Prisons and Corrections Services.
He confirmed with Samoa Observer that Assistant CEO for the Program Development Service Unit, Maiava Vi’iga Fuimaono, was sacked yesterday saying this was “part of changes that we’re making at the prison”.
“We conducted a visit at the prison this morning and there were things that were not right, and due to the nature of the takeover, I will not hesitate to make the necessary changes,” he said.
According to Maiava his sacking was not deserved and uncalled for adding that he was “collecting my thoughts and see where I go from here”.
Fuiavailili admitted he did not have the legal authority to sack an ACEO but he had initiated the proceedings to end Maiava’s tenure at SPCS.
Police were hurriedly handed back the reins of running the Samoa Prisons and Corrections Services following a mass prisoner breakout on Monday of this week.
SPCS Commissioner Taitosaua Edward Winterstein resigned on the same day.
“I am inheriting the prison and their many problems and therefore, I will make the changes that I see fit and lawful,” said Fuiavailili.
Photo:Talamua Media
