Inquiry into the Office of the Auditor-General is to deflect questions regarding money poured into Walesi - Prasad

Inquiry into the Office of the Auditor-General is to deflect questions regarding money poured into Walesi - Prasad

By Dhanjay Deo
Saturday 01/01/2022
National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad.

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.


It is unfortunate that public statements have been released to denigrate our reputation – Office of the Auditor General

Walesi says OAG has continued to delay auditing every year since 2015
By Semi Turaga
Friday 31/12/2021

The Office of the Auditor-General says it is rather unfortunate that public statements have been released to publicly denigrate their reputation.

This is after Walesi Fiji Limited stated that they have submitted all their financial reports until 2020 to the Office of the Auditor-General who unfortunately has continued to delay auditing and finalizing their financial accounts for every year since 2015.

The Office of the Auditor-General says they are also concerned about the selective publishing of information concerning annual audits.

A statement says the Auditor General will not respond directly and publicly to various allegations contained in these statements.

It says the Auditor-General and the Office of the Auditor-General are bound by section 8 of the Audit Act 1969 concerning secrecy and the confidentiality aspects of the auditor–client relationship governing the audit profession.

The statement further says the Office of the Auditor-General will not release any information, not yet publicly available, concerning any audit client, except in the Auditor-General’s Reports to Parliament.

It says the Office of the Auditor-General accepts that it currently has the enormous challenge and responsibility of auditing backlog draft financial statements which were not submitted annually over several years within the resources that it has been allocated.

The statement further says that the Office of the Auditor-General will continue to work with these State entities to ensure that audits of financial statements are updated.

It adds the Auditor-General and the Office of the Auditor-General will continue to diligently deliver its responsibilities as mandated by the 2013 Constitution and Audit Act 1969.

In a statement last week, Walesi stated that their financial reports from 2015 to 2017 have been audited by the Auditor General and have already been tabled as part of the Auditor General's report in Parliament which is also easily accessible online.

It says they had also submitted their 2018, 2019, and 2020 financial reports for auditing to the Auditor General's office and are waiting for them to finish the audit.

Walesi says they queried with the Auditor General multiple times in writing on the reason for the massive delays.

It adds that despite being the cause of the delays, the Auditor General in its 2020 report phrased the write-up about Walesi in a manner that made it seem like Walesi was causing the delay.


Inquiry to be conducted into the Office of the Auditor-General

Commissioners to find out if OAG is acting within the scope of its constitutional & legislative powers
By Semi Turaga
Friday 31/12/2021
Chairperson of the FRCS Board Fay Yee, former USP Pro-Chancellor Winston Thompson and Accountant Lala Sowane.

A Commission of Inquiry will be conducted into the Office of the Auditor-General and the findings are expected to be submitted within three months to the President.

Three people have been appointed by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere as Commissioners to conduct the inquiry.

They are former USP Pro-Chancellor Winston Thompson, Chairperson of the FRCS Board Fay Yee and Accountant Lala Sowane.

Thompson has been appointed as the chairperson of the Commission.

A statement on the Fijian Government Facebook page 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.

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.

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.

The Commissioners have also been directed to make recommendations to eliminate and prevent any unlawful, improper, ineffective or inefficient practices in the Office of the Auditor-General.

We have sent questions to the Office of the President and the Office of the Auditor General.




FEATURE NEWS
Kishore Kumar avoids jail time as 12-month sentence is suspended for 3 years in Agni Deo Singh case
57-year-old former school teacher, Kishore Kumar will not be spending time behind bars as his 12 months sentence has been suspended for three years in...
29 days ago
LATEST NEWS
Tanoa Hotel Group and NZ students plant 600 mangroves at Taiperia, Lautoka
To combat the ongoing effects of climate change and the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability, the Tanoa Hotel Group and 16 ...
26 days ago

Ovalau family to celebrate Easter reminiscing the hard work and dedication of their late son
The Boleilovoni family will have a celebration this Easter at their home in Lovoni Village, Ovalau, celebrating their late son Joseph Rymell ...
26 days ago

Expect a rainy Easter weekend as a flash flood alert and heavy rain warning in force for Fiji
People need to be prepared for a wet Easter weekend as a flash flood alert is still in force for all low-lying and flash flood-prone areas of Viti ...
26 days ago

Flash flood alert for Viti Levu and Vanua Levu
Please be prepared as a flash flood alert is now in force for all low lying and flash flood prone areas of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. A heavy rain ...
27 days ago

U.S Ambassador calls out China on trying to undermine its bilateral relationship with Fiji
It's puzzling that any country purporting to be a friend to Fiji would try to publicly undermine Fiji’s bilateral relationship with one of its ...
27 days ago



fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan
Latest Videos

Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
IN DEPTH
Top Interventional Cardiologist Dr Kapadia on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan
The show will focus on health services in the country. The former Marist Brothers Primary and High School student who has been practising medicine ...
37 days ago

Supervisor of Elections on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan
The interview focus on preparations for the 2026 general elections, voter related issues, electoral laws, the 2022 glitch and the municipal council ...
37 days ago

Swire Shipping Fijian Drua Coach, Glen Jackson on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan
Swire Shipping Fijian Drua Coach, Glen Jackson appeared on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan from the Drua base in Nadi. Coming off ...
41 days ago

TOP