There is nothing fishy – Acting PM

Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says there is nothing fishy after Energy Fiji Limited was exempted from audit by the Auditor General as the accounts will be audited by approved companies and the reports will be tabled in parliament.

Sayed-Khaiyum has finally made the comments after SODELPA MP, Peceli Vosanibola asked him the reasons for exempting EFL from being audited by the Office of the Auditor-General.

The Minister for Economy had exercised his powers conferred on him under the Audit Act 1969, and exempted off-budget State entity, EFL from audit by the Auditor General.

Fijivillage had first sent questions to Sayed-Khaiyum on December 7th 2021 to clarify why Energy Fiji Limited has been exempted from being audited by the Auditor General’s Office however he did not respond to the questions.

We had also asked him on his thoughts on the accounts not being audited by the Auditor General although 51% of EFL shares are owned by the Government.

In his answer in parliament, Sayed-Khaiyum says the laws allow the exemptions to take place and it does say quite specifically that the exemption should be for off-budget state entities. He says in other words, the government does not give these state entities like EFL and Fiji Ports Corporation Limited any money.

He says the government owns 51% shares in EFL.

Sayed-Khaiyum then went on to say that the opposition is looking for some scam and to get on the front page of fijivillage and The Fiji Times.

He says the Office of the Auditor-General has been outsourcing a lot.

The Minister says EFL’s auditing has been outsourced by the Office of the Auditor General since 2006 and some of the other companies are Fiji Hardwood Corporation and Food Processors Limited.

Sayed-Khaiyum also says the Office of the Auditor-General takes at least 4 months even though it outsources some audits as the Office carries out the operational audits.

He says there is a requirement under the Companies Act for the company to lodge their accounts within three months into the Companies Office.

The Minister says there are also requirements when EFL is listed on the South Pacific Stock Exchange.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the Office of the Auditor-General is not auditing organisations like Fiji Red Cross, FRIEND, Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, Fiji Public Service Association and Fiji Teachers Union but nobody says there is no transparency and they all claim to be transparent.

He also says in fact, one of the financiers that was lending money to EFL wanted to go back to the private company that did the audit because they thought the Office of the Auditor-General was somehow or the other compromised.