Pacific

Fiji gets South African as police chief

13:36 pm on 2 May 2014

The Fiji government has announced the appointment of a retired senior South Africa police officer Bernadus Groenewald as the new Commissioner of the Police Force.

The Ministry of Information says the decision to appoint Mr Groenewald is line with the 2013 Constitution and in accordance with the appointment process by the Constitutional Offices Commission.

It says Mr Groenewald served 42 years in the South African Police Service and retired in 2010 at the rank of Major-General.

As a senior police officer, he had also been responsible as the head of the security and safety of former Presidents of South Africa and has assisted the security detail of various global events, such as the preparations of next month's FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

The new police commissioner will begin work on May the 14th.