PUBLIC Works Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau says $400million was expanded to private contractors “through questionable decisions”.
Leader of Opposition raised a question in Parliament this week, asking what the cost of establishing the Public Works Department (PWD) would be to Fiji’s taxpayers and what can be outsourced to the private sector.
Ro Filipe said the private sector was brought in to replace PWD.
“One good example is what happened in the FRA (Fiji Roads Authority), where we have looked at the accounts and did a special audit,” he said.
Ro Filipe said when considering recommendations by World Bank, Asian Development Bank, or the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to move to the private sector, Fiji needed to assess this as a developing country.
“That was $400million which was expanded through questionable decisions. That was revealed by (a) special audit. The other issue with the private contractors, if you look at them, the one which was engaged by FijiFirst, nearly all of them were contributing to the FijiFirst campaign.”
Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya raised a Point of Order and said the minister should refrain from pointing fingers at contractors.
“Companies do not contribute to political parties, it is individuals that do that,” he said.
“So, please do not point fingers at contracting companies because they are not involved with political parties, it is individuals who contribute to it. I think he should withdraw what he has said.”
Speaker Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu also cautioned the speakers.
“If you want to continue to point fingers at people that are participating in campaigning and all that for political parties, please, you either name the individuals, that is their freedom, or the company that they are representing and you have to have evidence,” he said.
In response, Ro Filipe explained the cost of engaging the private sector was “quite astronomical” and asked whether any cost effective or cost benefit analysis was conducted properly.
“Honourable Usamate was saying, “when, when” but we do not want to repeat the same mistake by bringing the PWD back to replace and remove everything which is there. We need to have the right balance.”
Mr Koya then asked Ro Filipe if Government would not engage private contractors for any future work of the PWD and FRA.
Ro Filipe said that was not correct.
“We will continue to work towards the right balance, both private sector and public sector, for cost effectiveness and responsible use of taxpayer funds.”
