The recent $5,000 salary top-up for nearly all employees of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), excluding contract staff, has drawn attention and raised questions about public fund usage and accountability. The uniform salary increase, executed without performance-based evaluations or job appraisals, involved a total expenditure of over half a million dollars. This decision, made unilaterally by FICAC’s management, comes under scrutiny from Sachida Nand, a member of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts Committee. Nand expressed concerns about the lack of transparency and rationale behind such a significant financial move.
Acting FICAC Commissioner Lavi Rokoika confirmed the absence of formal grievances, despite some informal concerns regarding the payment, and noted that the salary adjustments appeared regularly in the financial records. Nand questioned the legitimacy of the approval process, wondering if the Acting Deputy Commissioner had the legal mandate to authorize the payout. Rokoika clarified that under Section 7 of the FICAC Act, an acting official inherits full powers of the substantive position, including remuneration decisions.
Additionally, Nand highlighted potential governance issues, fearing this could set a precedent for other statutory organizations to follow without proper oversight and examination. He stressed the necessity of a thorough investigation to ensure accountability and prevent misuse of public funds by similar entities.
The discussions surrounding this salary increment echo broader concerns about FICAC’s operational transparency and effectiveness. Previous reports have revealed that a large portion of FICAC’s budget, derived from government grants, is allocated for salaries. Combined with critique about the effectiveness of FICAC’s considerable budget growth, these financial matters spotlight internal governance challenges.
Despite the ongoing scrutiny, there is cautious optimism that handling these issues thoroughly can lead to enhanced governance and accountability reforms within Fiji’s public institutions, fostering confidence in the fight against corruption. Stakeholders and the public demand transparency and tangible efforts from FICAC to better ensure proper expenditure of public funds and maintain the integrity of governance systems in Fiji.
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