Opposition Member of Parliament Faiyaz Koya expressed his concerns regarding the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Communication, Manoa Kamikamica, who recently presented the Investigation Report into Walesi PTE Limited to Parliament. Koya deemed this move premature, especially since the government intended to forward the findings to the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC).
In a statement to FijiLive, Koya noted that the Opposition was not given prior access to the report, which hindered their ability to respond effectively to Kamikamica’s Ministerial Statement. He argued that if the government planned to submit its findings to FICAC, discussing them in Parliament was inappropriate and akin to politicizing the issue. Koya maintained that it would have been more prudent for the Deputy Prime Minister to withhold the statement entirely, particularly since Parliament members were not informed about the content of the report.
Koya highlighted the unfairness of the situation, stating that MPs were kept in the dark regarding the report’s details. He expressed uncertainty about Kamikamica’s intentions in sharing the report in Parliament while simultaneously referring the matter to FICAC.
In a related development, the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption confirmed it has received the file from Kamikamica. FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali announced the formation of a special task force to investigate, especially in light of a Special Audit Report from the Office of the Auditor General that revealed the government allocated approximately $123.6 million for the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Project and the operations of Walesi PTE Ltd from 2015 to 2022.
This situation underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in government dealings, especially when significant public funds are involved. With FICAC now stepping in to investigate, there is hope that a thorough examination will uphold integrity and potentially lead to necessary reforms within the system.
As this matter progresses, it provides an opportunity for greater scrutiny of government expenditure and fosters a culture of accountability throughout public institutions.
Leave a comment