"Mr Sudhakar’s call for the Fiji Times to “respect the thorough and impartial assessment” by PAC, is open to question. The people of Fiji no longer have any confidence in PAC’s ability to “thoroughly and impartially” scrutinise the OAG reports ever since the chair of the committee was taken away from the Opposition where it traditionally, and rightly, belongs. We are, for instance, still waiting for PAC’s report on the secret salaries that were paid to the Prime Minister, the Attorney General and the rest of Cabinet by a private accounting firm between 2010 and 2013."
Criticism of Fiji Times by PAC unfair, says Labour
The Fiji Times came under sharp criticism today from Ashneel Sudhakar, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, for its coverage of the Auditor General's 2016 report.
He accused FT of sensationalising the report and of being irresponsible. He said the media should not pre-empt PAC's scrutiny of the reports.
BUT Labour Leader Mahendra Chaudhry says the attack on Fiji Times was "#unjustified and #unwarranted". He says:
"The media has a right to report directly from the Auditor General’s annual reports without having to wait for the Public Accounts Committee to complete its own scrutiny of these reports, says Labour Leader Mahendra Chaudhry.
“Once the AOG reports are tabled in Parliament, or any other report for that matter, the media has a right to report on them and this has been the convention under all elected governments.
“It is upholding the right of the people to know how the government is managing State finances and whether its institutions are following financial rules and regulations as a requirement of accountability and transparency ” said Mr Chaudhry.
“In fact, it is not the Fiji Times that is sensationalizing these reports. The issues raised in the AOG reports are in themselves quite alarming and worrying because it is clear that government ministries and departments have consistently failed to observe proper financial procedures in the handling of public funds. The problem has become endemic,” he said.
The Auditor General’s Office allows adequate time to all government management to respond to their queries. If they fail to do so in the time given, or choose not to do so, that is not the fault of the OAG. The Auditor General has to table his report on time. Once it is tabled in Parliament it becomes a public document.
Mr Sudhakar’s call for the Fiji Times to “respect the thorough and impartial assessment” by PAC, is open to question. The people of Fiji no longer have any confidence in PAC’s ability to “thoroughly and impartially” scrutinise the OAG reports ever since the chair of the committee was taken away from the Opposition where it traditionally, and rightly, belongs.
We are, for instance, still waiting for PAC’s report on the secret salaries that were paid to the Prime Minister, the Attorney General and the rest of Cabinet by a private accounting firm between 2010 and 2013.
PAC has so far failed to prove that it can deal with such matters in an impartial and satisfactory manner.
FLP commends the Fiji Times for keeping the public informed of such important issues,” Mr Chaudhry said.
The Fiji Times came under sharp criticism today from Ashneel Sudhakar, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, for its coverage of the Auditor General's 2016 report.
He accused FT of sensationalising the report and of being irresponsible. He said the media should not pre-empt PAC's scrutiny of the reports.
BUT Labour Leader Mahendra Chaudhry says the attack on Fiji Times was "#unjustified and #unwarranted". He says:
"The media has a right to report directly from the Auditor General’s annual reports without having to wait for the Public Accounts Committee to complete its own scrutiny of these reports, says Labour Leader Mahendra Chaudhry.
“Once the AOG reports are tabled in Parliament, or any other report for that matter, the media has a right to report on them and this has been the convention under all elected governments.
“It is upholding the right of the people to know how the government is managing State finances and whether its institutions are following financial rules and regulations as a requirement of accountability and transparency ” said Mr Chaudhry.
“In fact, it is not the Fiji Times that is sensationalizing these reports. The issues raised in the AOG reports are in themselves quite alarming and worrying because it is clear that government ministries and departments have consistently failed to observe proper financial procedures in the handling of public funds. The problem has become endemic,” he said.
The Auditor General’s Office allows adequate time to all government management to respond to their queries. If they fail to do so in the time given, or choose not to do so, that is not the fault of the OAG. The Auditor General has to table his report on time. Once it is tabled in Parliament it becomes a public document.
Mr Sudhakar’s call for the Fiji Times to “respect the thorough and impartial assessment” by PAC, is open to question. The people of Fiji no longer have any confidence in PAC’s ability to “thoroughly and impartially” scrutinise the OAG reports ever since the chair of the committee was taken away from the Opposition where it traditionally, and rightly, belongs.
We are, for instance, still waiting for PAC’s report on the secret salaries that were paid to the Prime Minister, the Attorney General and the rest of Cabinet by a private accounting firm between 2010 and 2013.
PAC has so far failed to prove that it can deal with such matters in an impartial and satisfactory manner.
FLP commends the Fiji Times for keeping the public informed of such important issues,” Mr Chaudhry said.
