Delay in tabling of annual report due to political transitions - AG

Attorney General Graham Leung says the delay in tabling their reports has been the result of political transitions or events in our history.

While contributing to the motion tabled by Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence Lenora Qereqeretabua on the Attorney General's Annual Reports of 2006 to 2023, Leung says following the dissolution of Parliament in 2006, the country remained without any legislature until 2014.

He says the management at the time did not prioritize the preparation and submission of the office’s annual reports, however, under the current administration, they have taken steps to ensure that the preparation and timely submission of all annual reports moving forward will take place in a prompt manner.

Speaking on the recurrence of government vehicle accidents, the Attorney General clarified that all leased government vehicles are covered under comprehensive insurance, and losses arising from those accidents are managed by the Ministry of Finance through the surcharge process in accordance with the relevant finance instructions of 2010.

While supporting the motion, Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya called on the Minister for Finance to ensure that the Attorney General's Office is given more funds in the next budget for the constant revision of our laws.

He says when they have Committee meetings and want to bring in the Attorney General's drafting people, their work becomes difficult as they have 100 other cases on their plate.

While contributing to the motion, Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga asks why all these reports are now being tabled.

He says annual reports is a measure of a leader and at the end of the day, it is the responsibility of an Attorney General to table a report in Parliament to indicate what we have done.

Turaga adds this is something he had picked up on in 2023 and assures Parliament that they will deliver.

The former AG also asks why some commissions highlighted in the 2013 Constitution were not set up.

Opposition Leader, Inia Seruiratu says government vehicles are seen in almost every compound when he makes his way home, even though there is a special regulation for the garaging of vehicles and in the public service regulations.

Seruiratu says there are only two officials in any ministry that are entitled to vehicles and he believes this has not changed.

He says the way government vehicles are abused brings extra costs because the drivers have to drive from wherever they reside in the morning to the workplace.

He is urging the government to check with the permanent secretaries so that they can enforce what's already in the public service regulations.

Seruiratu stresses the continuous rigorous measures to be put in place to avoid or reduce the occurrence of government vehicle accidents amongst relevant ministries and agencies.

He is calling on the government to check with the permanent secretaries so that they can enforce what's already in the public service regulations.