Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry has questioned why Pacific Polytechnic, trading as Polytech, continues to receive hefty government grants when it has failed to provide audited accounts.
Mr Chaudhry claimed Polytech has failed to provide audited accounts for the financial years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024.
“A search with the Registrar of Companies office shows that Polytech (PPI’s trading name), has not filed financial returns since 2022,” Mr Chaudhry said.
“Despite its failure to provide audited financial reports, Polytech’s government grants have increased substantially in each budget since 2023.
“It was given $1million in 23/24, $5m in budget 24/25 and $7m under the upcoming budget.”
Mr Chaudhry questioned how the Finance Minister could justify increasing grants to an institution that has allegedly failed to provide accountability for taxpayer funds.
“Why is he not demanding accountability from the institute chair, Dr Ganesh Chand?
“Pacific Polytech has been plagued with troubled finances since it began operations in 2021.
“Since 2023, Labour has time and again raised queries about the failure to file audited accounts and annual reports by institutions to which Dr Chand is/was closely aligned.”
In an interview with The Fiji Times, Dr Chand says Polytech has submitted its financial reports to both the Higher Education Commission and the Registrar of Companies.
“The rules are, we submit to two bodies,” he said.
“One is the Higher Education Commission, the other is to the Registrar of Companies, and we have been complying all along.
“Under the law, all companies must lodge their annual reports, and we do the same.”
