IN a move aimed at speeding up investigations and improving efficiency, the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) has scrapped its Corruption Prevention Unit which had more than a dozen officers nationwide.
While presenting the institution’s 2022-2023 annual report before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, acting commissioner Lavi Rokoika said the changes were introduced in June.
“In my attempt to try and ensure that the cases are moving faster, that everyone within the commission was actually doing their work, we had done a restructure on the first week of June,” Ms Rokoika said.
“The restructure was an attempt to try and give back to the people the value for their money.
“We scrapped the Corruption Prevention Unit that had about 18 members from the whole of the country.”
She said many of these officers were reassigned to the investigations division, while others joined a newly-created Complaints and Legal Unit, responsible for assessing and moving new cases within 24 hours.
She said the restructure allowed FICAC to cut operational costs while improving coordination across departments.
“They have now been inducted into the investigations program, and they are there working as investigators now.
“By doing that, we were able to save money for the organisation, and we streamlined the work for the organisation.”
Ms Rokoika said the reforms also supported FICAC’s broader goal of restoring public confidence by improving service delivery and results.
FICAC employs more than 100 staff in Suva, about 22 in Lautoka, and 11 in Labasa.
