Former Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni has dismissed claims that COVID-19 funds from 2022–2023 went missing, following scrutiny from the current government.
Speaking to reporters last week, Hon. Sovaleni said, “The auditor’s report didn’t say money was missing. What the auditor said in the report was that reports from clusters involved in the COVID-19 activities were not presented and that was a disappointment.”
The comments come as the government investigates missing receipts related to $60 million in COVID-19 spending.
Hon. Sovaleni, who served as Prime Minister during the pandemic, defended the administration’s handling of the funds, stating that the auditor found the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 response to be “satisfactory.”
But, he did not explain why the nine cluster reports were not submitted to the Auditor General.
Current Minister of Revenue and Customs Hon. Mateni Tapueluelu acknowledged Hon. Sovaleni’s position but maintained that key questions remain unanswered. “We understand what Sovaleni is saying, but what remains in question is how the unaccounted funds were used,” he said.
Speaker of Parliament Hon. Lord Fakafanua added clarity to the debate, stating, “The auditor’s report clearly said none of the nine clusters provided the reports when the auditor asked for them. Therefore, it remains unclear whether the COVID-19 was actually carried out or otherwise.”
The government’s inquiry continues, with further questions expected to be raised in the upcoming parliamentary sessions.
