Chief whip hopes committee impasse will be resolved soon

Transcript

The chief whip in the Fiji government, Semi Koroilavesau, says he hopes the Public Accounts Committee will be able to meet next week.

He says this week's planned first meeting was called off by a parliamentary official after government members raised concerns over remarks by the opposition's intended chair, Dr Biman Prasad.

They are critical of him speaking publicly on the auditor general's reports, which they say he has been doing from his position on the PAC.

The opposition's leader Ro Teimumu Kepa has confirmed its support for Dr Prasad as chair of the PAC - the only parliamentary committee under the constitution that is to be chaired by an opposition MP.

But Mr Koroilavesau told Don Wiseman he thinks the impasse should be resolved next week.

SEMI KOROILAVESAU: I think it is going to happen next week. It will depend on the honorable speaker's return from Indonesia - she will make a decision on that.

DON WISEMAN: What is it that she needs to decide?

SK: It's just procedural matter that needs to be clarified.

DW: Yes and the procedural matter is what?

SK: Well, there's different interpretations of procedures by the opposition and we differ on their interpretation.

DW: Why is it necessary for the plug to be pulled?

SK: Who pulled the plug?

DW: Well, I don't know, who did pull the plug?

SK: Well, I don't know either. That was the Secretary-General's decision, when we have differences in that committee.

DW: You have been quoted as saying you don't want Biman Prasad as the chairman. Are you going to accept an opposition member as a chairman?

SK: That is the requirement of the constitution. I cannot change that.

DW: And the opposition leader says that Dr Biman Prasad is their choice. So it would seem he would remain as the chairman wouldn't he?

SK: That's the interpretation that I am saying, the opposition leader has preempted the final process by publicly announcing Dr Prasad as the proposed chairperson. The committee is actually the one that will confirm him to that position.

DW: So this is the matter that Dr Prasad's chairmanship or otherwise is something that the committee would need to determine at its first meeting and that is the procedural issue that you are talking about?

SK: Yes. It is outlined in Section 115, 116 and 117 of our standing orders.

DW: But you have been quoted in the media, in Fiji, being very critical of what Dr Prasad has been saying about these very startling Auditor-General reports. And you think he shouldn't be speaking out?

SK: Because he is not the chairman. That is it.

DW: But he is speaking out it would seem as his capacity of a leader of a political party in the opposition.

SK: Then he should not be speaking as chairman. There are five members.

DW: He has said that the matters in the Auditor-General's reports are in the public domain and therefore it is entirely appropriate for him to talking about them.

SK: In his personal capacity.

DW: His capacity as a member of parliament.

SK: Correct, that's correct.

DW So you are not disputing that?

SK: I am not disputing that. I am disputing him representing us as chairman.

DW: What's your feeling about those Auditor-General's reports.

SK: They are facts. They are public documents.

DW: Yes what is your feeling about the contents?

SK: I don't have any feeling. I haven't even had a look at it because I am not at liberty to discuss it until we have discussed the matter within our committee.

DW: Yes but as you say they are public documents - they are out in the public arena now. There are some controversial things covered by the media. Aren't you interested?

SK: I haven't seen it. I will see it when we see it in the committee. To be frank, I haven't read it. I am waiting for the committee to meet and then we will see our way forward in discussing the issue. He is just pre-empting it. We will need to sit down. There are no two ways about it.