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Deposed Fiji PM under probe for ‘private’ Taiwan fund
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Posted on Dec 01 2000
Suva (The Fiji Times/PINA Nius Online) – A special audit report says deposed Fiji prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry intended to illegally operate as a private fund $150,000 donated by the Taiwanese Government.
And the report has recommended that Mr. Chaudhry and senior accountant Nitya Nand be disciplined “for blatantly disregarding legislation and procedures” laid down for the use of such money.
The funds, paid in three installments, were made available after the former Prime Minister’s private secretary, his son Rajendra, asked the Taiwanese Mission in Fiji to provide US$75,000.
The audit noted that the donor was reluctant to provide details on the financial assistance “casting some doubt over the objectives of the cash grant”.
The Taiwanese Head of Mission Chi-Kun Ning had authorized the release of the funds from the mission’s New York bank account, it said.
According to the report, Mr. Ning told the auditors the money was a cash grant from “government to government”.
The report said Mr. Chaudhry had told the local media the fund was private money as it had been given by a private donor.
According to the audit, the method by which the account was opened and operated, contravened all provisions regarding the management of special projects accounts.
It said Mr. Chaudhry Jnr’s request for financial assistance was done in his capacity as a civil servant, with the use of the PM’s Office letterhead and an official file reference.
It said the senior accountant and the deposed PM had given conflicting statements about who kept records of the account.
“There was an intention to operate the account privately and illegally. The deposed prime minister, who was also Finance Minister, failed to comply with requirements. He intended to operate the account outside the government accounting system for reasons best known to him,” the audit said.
