Public Accounts Committee chairman Manoa Kamikamica has warned that the reputation of the iTaukei community is at risk unless Provincial Councils shore up financial record keeping and transparency, as he outlined findings from a parliamentary review on Friday. Speaking during debate on the Review Report on the Audit of Provincial Councils (Volume 7), Kamikamica said safeguarding records and strengthening controls were essential to maintain public trust in provincial institutions.
The PAC’s review included on-site visits to six Provincial Councils — Ba, Bua, Ra, Naitasiri, Lau and Rewa — where the committee identified inconsistencies in financial records and documentation. Kamikamica acknowledged the councils’ stated commitment to improving their accounting and reporting practices, but said that in several cases councils told the committee their records were up to date despite evidence to the contrary. “Our reputation as iTaukei people is at stake. If we do not properly safeguard the financial records of Provincial Offices, our image will not look good,” he told Parliament.
To address weaknesses uncovered during the review, the committee recommended that future audits be carried out directly at Provincial Council headquarters. Kamikamica said on-site audits would allow auditors to examine records, controls and documentation at the source and reduce the risk of incomplete or inconsistent reporting. “Going forward, the Committee recommends that future audits be conducted directly at the Provincial Council headquarters, to ensure that issues relating to records, controls and documentation are properly addressed at source,” he said.
The PAC also urged both the iTaukei Affairs Board and individual Provincial Councils to prioritise corrective actions to improve governance and accountability. Kamikamica called for a full commitment to “credible, transparent and timely financial reporting,” stressing that strengthened governance and accountability were central to the integrity and effectiveness of Provincial Council operations.
Acknowledging that reforms will require sustained investment, Kamikamica pressed for adequate resourcing over the coming years to implement the recommended improvements to financial systems. “That is why we are requesting that adequate resources be given over the next few years to complete these necessary reforms,” he said, signalling the committee expects longer-term support rather than one-off interventions.
The PAC’s focus on provincial financial management comes amid broader scrutiny of public bodies’ financial controls by the committee in recent months. The PAC has repeatedly called for improved due diligence, stronger documentation and engagement with professional accounting services where audit reports have found gaps. The latest recommendations for Provincial Councils add to a growing push by Parliament to tighten public-sector financial governance.
The Review Report (Volume 7) containing the PAC’s findings and recommendations will guide follow-up action by the iTaukei Affairs Board and the councils. Implementation will depend on those bodies adopting the corrective measures and on the allocation of the resources the committee says are necessary to bring provincial financial management up to standard.
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