Fiji Government: Appointment of Commissioners to the Commission of Inquiry
Mr Winston Thompson, Ms Fay Yee and Ms Lala Sowane (Commissioners) have been appointed as Commissioners to the Commission of Inquiry (Commission) by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Fiji, to conduct an inquiry into the Office of the Auditor-General.
The Commissioners are expected to inquire into and report on: the conduct, operations and performance of the Office of the Auditor-General; 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; 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, and acting within the scope of its constitutional and legislative powers, duties and functions; whether the Office of the Auditor-General is carrying out its functions and duties in accordance with internationally accepted audit procedures and requirements; and any associated matters considered to be relevant to the general objects of the inquiry.
The Commissioners must also make recommendations: to eliminate and prevent any unlawful, improper, ineffective or inefficient practices in the Office of the Auditor-General; for the effective and efficient delivery of the functions and duties of the Office of the Auditor-General under the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji, the Audit Act 1969 and any other written law; and for the adoption by the Office of the Auditor-General of internationally accepted audit procedures and requirements, and any other standard and transparent operating procedures.
Mr Winston Thompson, who has been appointed as the chairperson of the Commission, holds years of experience in the public sector and has served as Fijis Ambassador to the United Nations. He has served as the Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forests (1973-1978), Finance (1975-1985), and Tourism, Civil Aviation and Energy (1991-1992). He was the Chief Executive Officer of Telecom Fiji for 10 years until 2005. Mr Thompson was appointed as the Ambassador of the Embassy of the Republic of Fiji to the United States in 2009 before becoming the Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council at the University of the South Pacific.
Ms Fay Yee is the current Chairperson of the Board of FRCS. She is a chartered accountant who holds more than 35 years of accounting, business advisory and tax experience. Ms Yee worked for Ernst & Young prior to commencing her own accounting practice, Fay Yee & Co. She has served as a Director on Boards such as Fiji Public Trustee Corporation Limited, Fiji Red Cross Society and Fiji Chinese Education Society. She is a member of the University of the South Pacific Council and was the Chair of the University's Finance and Investment Committee.
Ms Lala Sowane is the Director and co-owner of Tewaka, formerly known as Pacific Destinations Fiji. She is a qualified Accountant and has worked at Pricewaterhouse Coopers as an auditor. She is a member of the Fiji National University Council and a Board Member of the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service Board. She also holds over 20 years of experience in the tourism sector.
The Commission has been directed to submit its findings and recommendations to the President of the Republic of Fiji within 3 months of the date of appointment or, upon the Commissions request, such longer period as the President of the Republic of Fiji may direct.
Mr Winston Thompson, Ms Fay Yee and Ms Lala Sowane (Commissioners) have been appointed as Commissioners to the Commission of Inquiry (Commission) by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Fiji, to conduct an inquiry into the Office of the Auditor-General.
The Commissioners are expected to inquire into and report on: the conduct, operations and performance of the Office of the Auditor-General; 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; 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, and acting within the scope of its constitutional and legislative powers, duties and functions; whether the Office of the Auditor-General is carrying out its functions and duties in accordance with internationally accepted audit procedures and requirements; and any associated matters considered to be relevant to the general objects of the inquiry.
The Commissioners must also make recommendations: to eliminate and prevent any unlawful, improper, ineffective or inefficient practices in the Office of the Auditor-General; for the effective and efficient delivery of the functions and duties of the Office of the Auditor-General under the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji, the Audit Act 1969 and any other written law; and for the adoption by the Office of the Auditor-General of internationally accepted audit procedures and requirements, and any other standard and transparent operating procedures.
Mr Winston Thompson, who has been appointed as the chairperson of the Commission, holds years of experience in the public sector and has served as Fijis Ambassador to the United Nations. He has served as the Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forests (1973-1978), Finance (1975-1985), and Tourism, Civil Aviation and Energy (1991-1992). He was the Chief Executive Officer of Telecom Fiji for 10 years until 2005. Mr Thompson was appointed as the Ambassador of the Embassy of the Republic of Fiji to the United States in 2009 before becoming the Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council at the University of the South Pacific.
Ms Fay Yee is the current Chairperson of the Board of FRCS. She is a chartered accountant who holds more than 35 years of accounting, business advisory and tax experience. Ms Yee worked for Ernst & Young prior to commencing her own accounting practice, Fay Yee & Co. She has served as a Director on Boards such as Fiji Public Trustee Corporation Limited, Fiji Red Cross Society and Fiji Chinese Education Society. She is a member of the University of the South Pacific Council and was the Chair of the University's Finance and Investment Committee.
Ms Lala Sowane is the Director and co-owner of Tewaka, formerly known as Pacific Destinations Fiji. She is a qualified Accountant and has worked at Pricewaterhouse Coopers as an auditor. She is a member of the Fiji National University Council and a Board Member of the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service Board. She also holds over 20 years of experience in the tourism sector.
The Commission has been directed to submit its findings and recommendations to the President of the Republic of Fiji within 3 months of the date of appointment or, upon the Commissions request, such longer period as the President of the Republic of Fiji may direct.
Fijileaks: We wonder when will SITIVENI RABUKA reveal his own role in the collapse of the National Bank of Fiji. He must NEVER be allowed back at the helm of power and government in Fiji. It is time the likes of Unity Fiji leader Savenaca Narube takes him head on, for those Fiji Sun opinion polls are a red-herring. He is a smooth talking political CONMAN, hiding behind IMMUNITY since 1988. Fiji can do better without Rabuka
“I would like to highlight the collapse of the National Bank of Fiji (‘NBF’) in 1995 which our country is still reeling from. We are still paying for the largest financial scandal in Fiji’s history. The then Government issued $209 million in bonds to bail out the NBF. The funds borrowed were used to pay NBF depositors. The overall cost including the interest payment has exceeded half a billion dollars. Yes, exceeded half a billion dollars. Madam Speaker, the initial bonds have matured but both the SDL Government and later on the FijiFirst Government has had to rollover this debt. This means that we are still paying for this debt and it is likely that future generations will continue to pay for it. This in fact has created intergenerational inequity. The current and future generation has to bear the cost burden of the mismanagement of a State Owned Bank under the SVT Government. The Prime Minster then is of course the current leader of SODELPA. The situation was, of course, exacerbated by the then Senior Government Ministers who encouraged bad governance, nepotism and interference in the affairs of NBF. People were actually given hand written notes to the
Bank Manager to give loans. Everybody knows about this!”
Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, in Parliament, 13 March 2018
BDO REPORT IS NOW HISTORY: USP's then Pro-Chancellor Thompson
