Eight community-related projects and assistance programmes were funded through the Chinese Grant Trust Fund Account during the 2024 financial year, according to the latest Audit Report on the General Administration Sector.
The report states that the trust fund account is used to manage grants provided by the Chinese Government to the Fiji Government through bilateral agreements in the form of letters of exchange.
According to the report, the funds are mainly directed towards projects committed by the Prime Minister following requests from communities and assessments based on needs and priorities.
“These are mainly projects that assist communities in the areas of education, integrated village and settlement developments, youth developments, women’s and minority group settlement developments and are not provided for in the national budget,” the report stated.
The approving authority for funding assistance under the trust fund is the Prime Minister.
Audit figures showed total receipts into the account stood at $263 for the year ending July 31, 2024, compared with $42,652 in the previous financial year. The 2023 receipts included $42,347 under Indonesian Cash in Kind Project Assistance.
Payments from the fund totalled $22,028 in 2024, down from $71,606 in 2023.
Projects and assistance funded during the year included:
- $5,000 for Vanuabalavu assistance
- $2,000 for Naroi Village assistance
- $10,000 for Remembrance Day Royal Service
- $5,000 for the Nagonicolo Scholarship Fund Assistance
Projects funded in the previous year included assistance for the Salusalu Domoni Band, Vunirara House Bau ablution block, Nasava Village and RFMF sports assistance.
The report stated that the reduction in payments by $49,578, or 69 per cent, was due to a decrease in the cost of community projects in 2024.
The trust fund recorded a closing balance of $253,895 as at July 31, 2024, compared with $275,660 the previous year.
