The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) in Fiji and the Pacific Islands Centre for Public Administration (PICPA) today launched a workshop on Public Sector Auditing.
In delivering his opening remarks, the Auditor General of Fiji Mr Tevita Bolanavanua emphasised the need for ongoing capacity building for OAG staff.
“Over the past few years we have knocked on so many doors for assistance towards capacity building and training for the audit office, and we are ever so thankful that Ausaid, PICPA and the University of the South Pacific have recognised the need for institutional strengthening in the realm of public administration in the Pacific. This will be the first in a series of capacity building and training efforts that we intend to facilitate through PICPA, with a few more to follow throughout the year”.
Mr Bolanavanua added that, “this first training on basic auditing is targeting our fresh graduates some of whom have just signed their contracts this week, and will provide sound orientation to work expected of them at the OAG”.
In his remarks, PICPA Director Siosiua Utoikamanu explained that PICPA was pleased to be able to respond to a request for training in a specific area of need.
Mr Utoikamanu said: “the training taking place today is one of PICPA’s key deliverables, and we are pleased to be able to contribute to this training for the staff of the Office of the Auditor General. He further noted that such investment in capacity building will only “contribute to better matching your skills to the needs of Office of the Auditor General, which we hope will lead to more efficient delivery of services to wider stakeholders particularly the people of Fiji”.
The University of the South Pacific’s Head of the School of Accounting and Finance professor Arvind Patel is facilitating the workshop.
Following on from the workshop launched today, the OAG and PICPA has also tailored a two day course on Ethics and Governance in the Public Sector, targeting senior auditors and audit managers, to be conducted from 27-28 March 2013.
PICPA, based at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, is a specialist centre which responds to the needs and plans identified by Pacific Island Countries for strengthened public administration to enable improved service delivery to their people and foster economic growth.
-ENDS-