Housing Authority: House Lots Scam

The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) is investigating how several former employees of Housing Authority of Fiji acquired housing lots for themselves.

Acting Prime Minister, Attorney-General and Minister for Housing, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, made the revelation when questioned in Parliament on an update of the Special Purpose Audit (special investigation) on lots allotment and awarding of tenders by Housing Authority.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said there were several weaknesses that were found in the operational side of the Housing Authority, in the management and middle management level, where people who should not have acquired those lots, had acquired them.

“Also, files related to the allocation of lots to several former employees have also been submitted

to FICAC itself for them to investigate as to how the staff, in fact, acquired these lots,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.

“So that is the status and what the board is doing, we have a new board, it is chaired by the CEO of FNPF, Viliame Vodonaivalu, the Deputy Chair is the CEO of FDB, Saud Minam, we have an engineer Renee Duguivalu from Nadi,” he said.

“Susan Naidu, who is also the manager of Koroipita Homes in Lautoka, Florence Takinana who is the lawyer by profession and a member of the real estate fraternity.

“So, Mr Speaker, sir, this board is currently finalising all these action plans and we hope to improve these processes within the Housing Authority of Fiji itself.”

Audit

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum believes a lot more can have been done by the Office of the Auditor-General.

He said the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the audit were not met.

“We had asked them to verify all information by checking the titles office, FNPF, et cetera, which was not done.

“In fact, we are informed that perhaps some people from the Auditor-General’s Office may have acquired some of those lots too and not necessarily entitled to it.

“So, there are a lot of things in the closet that are yet to be leaked out, but as a result of being proactive about it, the current board is in the process of finalising a draft lot allocation policy, which is going to be reviewed by the ministry and the board, a mechanism periodic declarations by Board Members also and all other staff in particular.”

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