iTaukei Affairs Board recruitment must be merit-based: Report

Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts has recommended that all recruitment for the iTaukei Affairs Board, including its chairperson and board members, must be conducted on merit through an open and transparent process.

The recommendation came after the committee found that staff currently engaged by the board lack the necessary expertise and skills to undertake the roles and functions of their positions.

This finding was revealed in the Consolidated Review Report of the Auditor-General for 2019-2020, 2021-2022, and 2023, which was tabled in Parliament last week.

The committee expressed serious concerns about the board's operational effectiveness, highlighting significant governance issues that have contributed to decades of unaudited accounts.

“The committee recommends that the recruitment of staff, members of the Board, and the Chairperson of the iTaukei Affairs Board be on merit basis through an open and transparent process,” the report stated.

The committee also called for a clear separation between the roles of the Permanent Secretary and the chief executive officer.

The board has been struggling with financial management, lacking a structured and organised financial documentation system that has led to unaudited accounts dating back to 2003.

Committee chairman Esrom Immanuel urged both the iTaukei Affairs Board and the responsible permanent secretary to undertake concerted efforts to ensure accounts are promptly updated by July 31, 2026, allocating additional resources if necessary.

The committee also recommended a comprehensive review and restructure of the board in consultation with key stakeholders.

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