21 Oct 2003

Strong criticism of Fiji's government after Auditor General's report

7:31 am on 21 October 2003

There's been a strong backlash against the Fiji government following revelations of gross mismanagement and abuse of public funds in the Auditor General's report.

Fiji TV says the Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, has been warned he must take responsibility if he wants to give the country a clean, transparent and accountable government.

The Fijian Political Party spokesperson, Ema Druavesi, says the government is spending state funds on its political promises leaving nothing in the state coffers.

She says this could lead the country back towards instability.

The National Federation Party leader, Prem Singh, says the blatancy of the malpractices does not seem to have any impact on the government.

The Labour Party leader, Mahendra Chaudry, who has been blamed in the Auditor General's report for not co-operating with the investigations into allegations of abuse of his parliamentary office has not commented.

But a senior Labour MP, Dr Ganesh Chand, says the government has no respect for established rules and regulations for spending and accounting.