BY IRWIN ANGIKI
The Office of the Auditor General has resorted to seeking the Courts’ advice over the National Hosting Authority’s (NHA) expenditure and procurement activities for the Pacific Games 2023.
This follows the NHA’s failure to cooperate with the auditing process, and not providing documents requested by the auditors which show NHA’s spending.
“There are still outstanding audit queries and documentation sought from NHA as of today’s date,” Auditor General David Dennis said in an email to Island Sun Friday last week.
Normally financial audit reports are completed 12 months after the Games, Pacific Games Council (PGC) Chief Executive Andrew Minogue told Radio New Zealand in February this year.
“Based on the experience with previous hosts, we normally expect the financial audit to take about 12 months,” Mr Minogue told RNZ Pacific.
It is now two years, and still no financial audit report for the Pacific Games 2023.
NHA is the body set up by the government to lead preparations and management of the Games.
It had cost government and donor partners around $2.5 billion to host the Games in December, 2023.
The NHA is being audited by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) with the help of KPMG Fiji.
Two types of audits are carried out covering NHA’s activities – the financial statements audit which covers the calendar period from 2019 to 2024, and the special procurement audit which investigates the procurement practices of NHA.
In February this year, falling behind schedule, the OAG told media that the delay was due to NHA not providing requested documentation of its spending.
Auditor General David Dennis told In-Depth Solomons:
“Challenges in NHA providing requested documentation continues to delay the timely completion of these audits.
“To date proper documentation to support the validity of actions and transactions for certain major procurements had not yet been provided and remains a concern.
“Updates to the likely completion dates for the remaining financial audits covering calendar periods 2022-2024 will be shared at a later date,” Dennis said.
On Wednesday last week, Dec 17, OAG announced that it was taking the matter to court.
“The Office of the Auditor General, is seeking legal clarification over the National Hosting Authority’s expenditure and procurement activities for the Pacific Games in 2023,” the statement by OAG said.
“This intention has been conveyed to the Hon Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele at a meeting recently held at the Office of the Prime Minister.”
It is unclear when the courts will have its say on the matter, with the judiciary being on holidays and the legal year 2026 likely to begin in late January.
Auditor General Dennis emphasised the importance of completing the audits, saying “It is critical that the audit reports deliver detailed clear findings and learnings from hosting of significant events such as the Pacific Games. Resolving the applicable legal basis for NHA’s expenditure and procurement activities will ensure both the financial and special audits are finalized and published.”
The OAG said it has engaged senior lawyer Gabriel Suri since the Attorney General is a member of the NHA board.
Meanwhile, NHA Executive Director Christian Nieng did not reply to questions sent to him yesterday.
NHA Chairman, and secretary to the Prime Minister Special Duties, Sir Dr Jimmie Rodgers, could not be reached for comments.
The NHA was established in 2018 under the Pacific Games Act 2017 to deliver the Pacific Games 2023.
Following the Games, NHA was to be abolished after it handed over the sporting facilities to the National Sports Council (NSC) and the audit report tabled in parliament.
However, all except two of the sporting facilities have been handed over to the NSC – the dining hall building and the administration building located within the national stadium complex.
And, the audit report is yet to be tabled in parliament.
Photo: Supplied
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