Opposition MP Praveen Bala has dismissed allegations that he was authorized by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to be interviewed regarding the investigations against the Housing Authority during his time as Minister for Housing. The investigation, conducted by the Office of the Auditor-General, focused on the illegal allocation of lots and misuse of the tendering process.
During a parliamentary session that included a Review Report on the Housing Authority, Bala stated, “I was never asked to appear before the Committee.” He called on the Assistant Minister for Finance and PAC Chairperson, Esrom Immanuel, to refrain from making broad statements in Parliament.
In response, Immanuel informed Parliament that the Committee had sent an email to Bala, which was followed by a phone call from a Committee member.
The investigation revealed issues regarding the unlawful allocation of lots and the misuse of the tender process, leading to improper ownership of lots by individuals and Housing Authority employees. Immanuel noted that concerns from the public prompted the former Minister for Housing, Premila Kumar, to initiate a special investigation through the Office of the Auditor-General, as per the authority granted under the Audit Act 1969.
Immanuel stated that the findings of the investigation indicated that those implicated should face consequences to deter similar actions in the future and to send proper disciplinary signals to the public and Housing Authority employees. He mentioned that 60 cases are currently with the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), with one already in court.
“We would like to see FICAC expedite the remaining cases,” Immanuel remarked.
The report has received approval from Parliament, and following Standing Order 121(5), the Assistant Minister for Finance has proposed a motion for a debate on the report’s contents at a future session.