Fiji budget improves but still among the worst in the world

Transcript

An international survey shows Fiji's budget process has become more accountable.

Fiji has moved out of the bottom ten in a list of 100 countries in the International Budget Partnerships Open Budget Survey.

The survey measures transparency, citizen participation and independent oversight institutions.

The Fiji Citizens' Constitutional Forum which presented Fiji's results says Fiji was one of ten countries with the worst accountability in the 2012 rankings and it has since moved up two places.

The CCF's president Bulutani Mataitawakilai says Fiji has seen the most improvement in the area of transparency but citizen participation and independent oversight still lag.

BULUTANI MATAITAWAKILAI: Since June 2014 the Fiji government has, there is a lot of significant developments from June 2014 to date which are not reflected in this survey result but will have a huge effect in the next survey and the next ranking. Which we hope will take Fiji further. Especially national budget public consultations that was, that took place in almost all major centres around Fiji.

KOROI HAWKINS: Are there any recommendations coming out of the survey or from your organisation as to what needs to be done to improve to continue improving?  

BM: Well one is for the government to release the eight budget documents. We have done that with, we have successfully published the end year report, the enacted budget and the pre-budget statement. So there are out of the eight documents Fiji managed to publish three so the recommendation is for the Fiji government to make available to the citizens of Fiji all information regarding the budget in order for them to know where there money had been spent. Where it is going to and how it is spent. And also for the Fiji government to ensure the independence of the oversight institutions. So that that will keep us on track and ensure that our budget systems are accountable and transparent and inclusive.

KH: Yes and on the note of inclusive, what are they suggesting Fiji should be doing in getting citizens more engaged in the budget process?

BM: With citizens participation I think Fiji is heading in the right direction like I stated earlier on over the last few weeks. Over a month now this ministry of finance has been holding public consultations and collecting submissions from Civil Society organisations and the private sectors. There opinions there wish what they wanted to be formulated into the 2016 budget. Another thing is for citizens of Fiji to understand their role as citizens. Understand the importance of exercising their rights to access to information. To hold government into account and also how their role, how they can play a key role and influence how their money are spent. And CCF we look forward to working in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance to ensure that we improve in our, not only improve in our ranking but ensure that our budget has positive impacts on the lives of the people.