Biman Prasad elected chairman of PAC

National Federation Party Parliamentary Leader, Biman Prasad has been elected as the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.

Prasad was nominated by SODELPA parliamentarian, Aseri Radrodro.

Biman Prasad accepted the nomination however the NFP Leader also had to second his nomination as no one from the government side supported the nomination.

The government side then nominated Aseri Radrodro to be Chair of the committee but Radrodro refused to accept the nomination.

Secretary General to Parliament, Viniana Namosimalua then ruled that Prasad be appointed as Chair of the committee as the only other person eligible to take up the post had refused the nomination.

The Accounts Committee is made up of two opposition MPs, Biman Prasad and Aseri Radrodro while the three government committee members are Semi Koroilavesau, Balmindar Singh and Sanjit Patel.

According to the Parliamentary Standing Orders, only an opposition MP can be Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee.

FijiFirst parliamentarian, Balmindar Singh has been elected as the Deputy Chair of the committee.

He was nominated by Sanjit Patel.

The committee will meet again on December 15th to discuss its work plan on scrutinizing the Auditor General’s Reports from 2007 to 2013.

After his appointment, Biman Prasad said the committee is ready to start its work.

Prasad said the committee also has powers to fully investigate the contents of the Auditor General’s Reports.

Government Whip, Semi Koroilavesau said they will fully assist the Public Accounts Committee.

However there is no assurance on which way the vote goes when issues are taken to parliament.

The UNDP has also offered to provide short term technical experts to the committee.

The next Public Accounts Committee meeting will take place on the 15th of December.