National Federation Party Leader, Professor Biman Prasad says the Government ended 2021 deservedly as a laughing stock as they all know why the Government has announced an inquiry into the conduct, operations and performance of the Office of the Auditor-General.
Prasad says it is to deflect questions about the tens of millions of dollars it has spent on Walesi.
He says the government refuses to talk about Walesi’s accounts and even though Walesi’s accounts up to 2017 are ready, the government refuses to release them.
Prasad further says Commissions of Inquiry in the past were usually held in public.
He says they want to know whether the inquiry into conduct, operations and performance of the Office of the Auditor-General will be a public inquiry and will the public hear the allegations against the Auditor-General’s office and will the Auditor-General be allowed to respond in public to the Government’s complaints.
We have sent questions to the Attorney General and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. He is yet to respond.
According to a government statement, the Chairperson of the FRCS Board Fay Yee, former USP Pro-Chancellor Winston Thompson and Accountant Lala Sowane will conduct inquiry into the Office of the Auditor-General.
The inquiry will also seek to find out if the Office of the Auditor-General is acting within the scope of its constitutional and legislative powers, duties and functions.
It says the Commissioners are expected to inquire into and report on several things.
These include the conduct, operations and performance of the Office of the Auditor-General and the capacity of the Office of the Auditor-General to carry out its functions and duties effectively and efficiently under the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji, the Audit Act 1969 and any other written law.
It also includes whether the Office of the Auditor-General is carrying out its functions and duties and exercising its powers in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji, the Audit Act 1969 and any other written law.
They will also try to find out whether the Office of the Auditor-General is carrying out its functions and duties in accordance with internationally accepted audit procedures and requirements.
