Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama. [File Photo]

The operational and financial management practices at the Office of the President has significantly improved.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama highlighted this while responding to the debate on the Consolidated Review Report on the Office of the President Annual Reports from 2011 to 2013.

Bainimarama says the committee had raised several issues in relation to the non submission of VAT returns to the Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority from March to December 2011, clarification on statement of receipts and expenditure, and changes to the Office Human Resource and Management.

The Prime Minister says some of the issues raised were capacity related caused by staff movement through retirement and transfer.

He says this affected the offices ability to fulfill all its operational and reporting requirement.

“For instance, the office did not have a dedicated accountant or a fully fledged account section for 16 years prior to 2014 as the accounting functions were handled by the senior admin officer who also attended to other administrative duties. The senior administrative officers retirement than had an impact on the office ability to manage its account”.

Bainimarama says the Office of the President has implemented civil service reforms over the years leading to the recruitment of the appropriately qualified staff including an accoutant and two accounts clerk to ensure the office complies with the financial management act and the financial regulations .

He adds the Office has also cleared its outstanding VAT returns from 2011.

The Office of the President Annual Reports from 2011 to 2013 was tabled in parliament and referred to the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights in 2018.