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A $5,000 salary top-up paid across the board to staff of the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption in 2023 has come under scrutiny.

Standing Committee on Public Accounts Committee member Sachida Nand is calling for an investigation into the matter, citing concerns of potential abuse of public funds and lack of accountability.

During the submissions today, FICAC’s Acting Commissioner, Lavi Rokoika confirmed that a uniform $5,000 salary increase was implemented for almost all FICAC staff in 2023, excluding contract workers.

She says the payment, which amounted to just over half a million dollars in total keeps showing in their accounts.

Public Accounts Committee member Sachida Nand questioned the rationale behind the payout, stating that such a significant financial decision required transparency and a solid justification.

In response, Acting Commissioner Rokoika confirmed that the increase was not performance-based and had not followed any job appraisal or evaluation process.

She says that the decision was made unilaterally by the management in place at the time.

“The reasoning behind the flat payment of $5,000 was because there had been no job evaluation done for a number of years. I believe from mid-2014, 2015, up till I think that’s some good eight years, everybody was sitting on the same salary from around 2014, 2015.”

Nand raised strong concerns on the lack of policy backing and the implications for public sector governance.

“While we expect FICAC to investigate others, this is something that also needs investigation, because if left untouched, other

organizations, other statutory organizations could follow suit, and say a precedence has been created and we’ll follow.”

Rokoika also confirmed that no formal grievances were filed regarding the payment, although there were informal concerns raised.

She says a grievance mechanism exists within FICAC, but no complaint reached the level of an official HR inquiry.

Questions were also raised in relation to the authority under which the Acting Deputy Commissioner approved the payout.

Nand questioned whether that individual had the legal mandate to make such a decision.

FICAC’s Acting Commissioner clarified that under Section 7 of the FICAC Act, a person acting in a role assumes the full powers and responsibilities of the substantive position.

Questions were also raised about a potential conflict of interest, particularly whether the Acting Deputy Commissioner also received the $5,000 increase, as it was applied across the board.

Rokoika clarified that remuneration for the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, or Acting Deputy Commissioner is determined by an external authority, not by the officeholder themselves.

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