Roko Tui training Important For good Governance in provinces

This week’s Roko Tui training at the Centre of Appropriate Technology, Nadave, Bau in Tailevu addresses a very important issue - good governance in provinces.

There is a real need for this kind of training given the history of administrative issues in provincial councils.

The Roko Tuis are the chief Provincial Administrative officers. They are the chief executive officers of the secretariat that is the custodian of good governance.

They guide and direct the provincial councils to follow good governance principles of accountability and transparency.

The parliamentary Public Accounts Committee’s report on provincial councils tabled in Parliament in February this year highlighted the weaknesses in provincial councils.

The Government civil service reforms have been addressing these issues. This training is part of the process.

Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee chairperson Alvick Maharaj had revealed that the audit of the provincial councils had been extensively delayed. He said it was primarily due to the non-submission of the financial statements annually to the Office of the Auditor General. He said this resulted in the backlog of 14 years of timely preparation and quality submission of the annual accounts.

Between 2015 and 2018, the Office of the Auditor General received from the iTaukei Affairs Board, 114 draft financial statements for the 14 provincial councils.

The report contains the audited financial statements for six provincial councils for the years ranging from 2000 to 2007.

The provincial councils were Tailevu (2002-2007), Naitasiri (2002-2007), Lau (2003-2007), Macuata (2005-2007), Rewa (2005-2005), Serua (2002-2005).

There were 126 significant matters on the audits of the 30 financial statements of the six provincial councils. This was not a good reflection.

The committee strongly recommended that immediate action needed to be drawn towards the timely submission of the provincial council’s financial statements.

The issues included auditing, compliance with accounting standards and international best practices, provision of resources to ensure compliance and confirmation of investments with provincial companies and resolution on whether provincial councils are subject to VAT.

It was plainly clear that the provincial councils needed to strengthen internal controls over cash management, journals and reconciliation, purchases and payments and payroll pursuant to the Audit Act 1969, iTaukei Affairs Act 1994 and the iTaukei Affairs (Provincial Council) Regulation 1996.

Once the provincial councils get the basics right their service delivery will improve significantly.