[Source: FEO]

The Fijian Elections Office has found most political parties fail to issue receipts for monies deposited into their bank accounts or received directly.

Registrar of Political Parties Mohammed Saneem says there is a failure to maintain proper accounts by not issuing receipts which fail to reconcile the monies that are received by the Party in relation to expenditure.

Saneem says until now, auditors have been auditing the accounts, however, more attention is needed to ensure that monies received by a Party is properly documented and qualified into the accounts after which they are spent.

Saneem says soon the Registrar will enter a Memorandum of Understanding with Fiji Institute of Accountants.

This MOU will see the development of guidelines for auditors when it comes to the auditing of Political Party accounts and to also provide necessary checklists for accountants who prepare the Political Party financials that are eventually audited.

Registrar today met with the President of the Fiji Institute of Accountants, representatives of the Office of the Auditor-General and members of the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption.

They discussed the compliance with the Political Parties Act in terms of disclosure of Political Party donations and the audited accounts.

During the meeting, the institutions discussed that training can be conducted for auditors and political parties.