Fiji’s former Ombudsman Justice Sir Moti Tikaram wanted extra powers to make public reports. This, according to a story published in The Fiji Times on January 24, 1973.
He said that would help overcome an information gap between his office and the public.
Justice Tikaram said people often got the impression that his office was inactive.
He said ombudsmen in other countries had powers to publish reports in addition to their annual reports and New Zealand was one of those countries.
Justice Tikaram said ombudsmen in New Zealand used their power with discretion and did not mention individual names.
He said he had sought similar power to publish reports but as they were still under consideration, “it would not be proper for me to disclose their nature”.
The Fiji Times asked Justice Tikaram to describe the type of complaints people had made.
He said the Fijian Constitution required him to keep the results of investigations in confidence and he and his staff members were sworn to secrecy.
The only occasion where he could reveal investigations was when the annual report of the Ombudsman to the Governor General was tabled in Parliament.
He said his first annual report would cover the period to the end of February. Justice Tikaram said another possible occasion for giving a report was when a government permanent secretary refused to accept a recommendation by the Ombudsman.
He said the Ombudsman then had the right to report to Parliament.
Justice Tikaram said any complaints the Ombudsman received were outside his jurisdiction, which was virtually confined to the civil service.
“People had many complaints about boards and statutory bodies,” he said.
The former Ombudsman said when he explained he could not handle those problems, some people went away very unhappy.
“The Ombudsman’s duties are written into the Fiji Constitution with the Ombudsman’s operations more efficient and effective,” Justice Tikaram said.
“Whether the Ombudsman powers ought to be extended to certain boards and statutory bodies is a policy matter for the Government to decide.
“Many letters were in iTaukei and the four investigators on the Ombudsman’s staff spent considerable time translating them.
“Recently a man asked a reply in iTaukei. A translation was enclosed with a reply in English. Each complaint received a reply, whether or not the Ombudsman could help.”
