COUNCILLOR Reginald Ngati for Vura ward fails to provide the right information to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) when he revealed that the Honiara City Council Clerk received a payment of $53,000 for writing a report in response to the Special Investigative Audit Report.
Ngati in his closing remarks when he appeared before PAC on Tuesday said that Silas Rodie, a contracted HCC Auditor told him that City Clerk Rence Sore raised a payment of $53,000 for himself.
The payment was for the work done by Sore to compile the HCC response report to the recommendations highlighted by the Special Investigative Audit report from the Office of the Auditor General (OAG).
On Tuesday the Solomon Star questioned Sore about the new revelation and said he is not aware of the payment and if Ngati has the evidence he should supply it to PAC.
Ngati also mentioned the Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs for having knowledge in this payment.
“I was told by Rodie that the PS for Home Affairs was aware of this payment but nothing was done,” Ngati told PAC on Tuesday.
Member of PAC and Leader for Opposition Mathew Wale also questioned Ngati and asked if evidence can be provided to PAC for further scrutiny.
But on Wednesday the new revelation of the said payment of $53,000 to Sore was categorically denied by Rodie who said it was false.
“The submission by Ngati to PAC that I provided information to them is not true,” Rodie said.
Rodie said he was asked by PAC Chairman straight after Ngati appeared before PAC on Tuesday.
Rodie is currently out from Honiara and he is willing to give his side of the story to PAC if he arrives back in Honiara.
Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Audit Report on the Accounts and Records of Honiara City Council was scrutinized was completed on Wednesday.
HCC Lord Mayor Wilson Mamae and City Clerk Sore were also scrutinized by PAC
The PSs for the Ministry of Finance and treasury and the Ministry for Home Affairs were the final officers to appear before PAC on Wednesday.
By ANDREW FANASIA
Newsroom Honiara
