The payment of Cabinet salaries came under scrutiny at the Public Accounts Committee meeting yesterday.

According to the 2010 Auditor-General’s Report, the payment of Government ministers’ salaries was paid through a chartered accounting firm, Aliz Pacific Limited from 2010 until 2012.

The alleged dispersion of funds without proper supporting documents was one of the main issues highlighted by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday.

Acting Permanent Secretary for Finance, David Kolitagane could not explain the decision to re-divert the payment of public funds to ministers’ salaries through the accounting firm.

It was estimated that over $1.75 million was allocated for ministers pay in 2010 through budgetary allocation controlled by the Finance Ministry’s miscellaneous expenditure Head 50.

PAC Chairperson, Biman Prasad asked Mr Kolitagane if they had received the necessary supporting contract documents that allowed Aliz Pacific Limited to make the salary payments to the Government ministers.

Representatives from the Finance Ministry said they only facilitated the letter from the Prime Minister’s Office requesting for the release of funds following Cabinet approval which was the only supporting document that they have.

The PAC Committee has requested the Finance Ministry to ask for the supporting documents from the PM’s office and present a detailed report in the next two weeks.

Also appearing before the Committee yesterday was Ministry of Health’s, Apolosi Vosanibola who confirmed that they had adopted recommendations from the Auditor-General’s reports.

One of the recommendations was to monitor trends for pharmaceutical drug purchase to anticipate supply and demand.

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