‘Lack of accountability’ MP claims taxpayers will pay $150m in grants by next year

TAXPAYERS will have paid more than $150 million in grants to Walesi and the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) by next year, claims National Federation Party vice president Lenora Qereqeretabua.

In a statement issued yesterday, Ms Qereqeretabua

also attacked Walesi’s lack of accountability, saying the Auditor-General had criticised the timeliness and quality of its financial reporting.

“In the last six years, no annual report for Walesi has been tabled in Parliament,” Ms Qereqeretabua said.

Noting that $67 million had been allocated to Walesi in the past seven budgets, Ms Qereqeretabua called for answers from Attorney-General and Communications Minister Aiyaz-Sayed Khaiyum on the “use of every single dollar of over $67 million in taxpayers’ funds”.

“For now, we give both the A-G and Walesi a chance to respond in a transparent and accountable manner.

“This is the minimum we expect from the nation’s chief lawyer who puts everyone and everything under his intense scrutiny.”

Ms Qereqeretabua said it was a similar story for more than $80 million given as grants since 2012 to FBC, which FBC later converted to fees for public service radio and television broadcasting.

“Therefore, by the end of the current financial year on July 31, 2022, the taxpayers of Fiji would have provided in excess of $150 million to both Walesi and FBC.

“In return, the taxpayers with less than $30,000 per annum as family income are rewarded with a free set-top box for Walesi, but are now being forced to fork out almost $100 for a UHF antenna, cable and installation if they want to watch free-to-air television on a digital platform.”

Ms Qereqeretabua also asked why the two entities were under the direct control of Mr Sayed-Khaiyum.

Questions sent to Mr Sayed-Khaiyum remained unanswered when this edition went to press while Walesi chief executive officer Sanjay Maharaj when contacted by phone, said he would respond later.