Hagen Siosikefu and Christabel Kaukasi Talagi have spoken out over their dismissal from the NISCGA Executive last month.
In a statement to BCN News Siosikefu and Kaukasi Talagi confirmed that they had both received the letters from NISCGA removing them from their positions. They have responded to NISCGA vehemently objecting to the allegations against them and challenging the process used to remove them.
“We have responded directly to NISCGA that we VEHEMENTLY OBJECT to these allegations. Not only are these allegations totally untrue, there are fundamental flaws with the process of our removal. Not only we both not been given the decency or opportunity to respond to these allegations, but the decision was made by only 3 of the executives of NISCGA”.
Siosikefu and Kaukasi Talagi said that they do not accept the decision made by only three members of the NISCGA Executive and that they are still the legally recognised Secretary General and Treasurer of NISCGA because they were elected by the Sports General Assembly which holds the ultimate authority over the NISCGA executive.
“We do not accept this decision, and state that we are still the legal Secretary-General and Treasurer of NISCGA as elected by the NISCGA General Assembly which hold the ultimate authority over the NISCGA executive. This fact we had stated to the executive, however we have not had any response”.
Furthermore, they stated that in following the Commonwealth Games Federations Public (CGF) Disclosure also known as the whistleblowing policy, Hagen Siosikefu and Christabel Kaukasi Talagi are prepared to release the relevant financial bank records and email discussions to prove their case and expose the level of corruption, the lack of leadership and integrity of the senior members of NISCGA.
“In accordance with the CGF Public Disclosure (Whistleblowing) Policy 2022; we are prepared to release the relevant financial bank records and email discussions to prove our case. Furthermore, it will also potentially expose the level of corruption, lack of leadership and the lack of integrity by some of these senior members of NISCGA”.
They claim that without doubt, it was their objections to these issues that is the reason why they were removed from NISCGA.
According to their statement, other former members of the Executive had resigned over their concerns about how things were being run at NISCGA.
Three weeks ago, President of NISCGA Maru Talagi confirmed to BCN News that the Treasurer Mrs. Christabel Kaukasi Talagi was dismissed and that Secretary-General Hagen Siosikefu would be ‘replaced’ because both had missed more than three meetings.
Mrs. Kaukasi-Talagi was in Auckland on medical leave and have just returned to the island on Monday.
It is understood that there will be a meeting to be held tomorrow for all sports groups on the island, to decide on the best way forward for Niue Sports in general.