Heads of government ministries, authorities and corporations have been told to submit their financial reports on time.
They have also been told to stop the excuses and pay their bills to the private sector.
The order comes from Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, who says the timely submission of such reports is vital to enhance accountability in the government machinery.
“I told the Cabinet Development Committee meeting two weeks ago about the importance of their reports,” the Prime Minister said during an interview with the Samoa Observer.
“This is very important in terms of transparency, accountability and good governance. Accountability will improve when we keep the reports up to date.”
The Prime Minister was asked to explain why Audit reports are often four, five or sometimes seven years late when they are finally debated in Parliament.
A case in point is Controller and Chief Auditor, Fuimaono Camillo Afele’s report for 2009/2010 that is scheduled to be debated when Parliament reconvenes next Tuesday.
“Four years is a bad thing,” Tuilaepa admitted.
And according to the Prime Minister, it is “unfair for the leaders of the country when the reports arrive late.”
“But if the reports are up to date, then the leaders in the house will be able to exchange views with some kind of sense that you are dealing with the present time, thus improving the decision making process,” he said.
“But you remember, not everyone is good.”
Tuilaepa said Samoa’s Public Service “is much better compared to other developing countries in the sense that we have a lot of educated public servants.”
“But that doesn't translate to a hundred per cent performance,” he said.
“Right now there are about eight reports that needs to be updated.”
The Prime Minister also stressed the need for heads of government departments to be responsive when they are asked questions about their operations.
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“It’s important for government departments to respond to queries about issues within their ministries,” he said.
“That’s why Lee Hang was angry because one lady didn't respond to questions from the committee. But the issues are simple.
“A lot of these things are due to pure common sense.”
Lee Hang is the former Minister of Finance, Papali’i Niko Lee Hang, who is also the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.
The Prime Minister has also ordered the government departments to pay their bills.
“The partnership between the private sector and the government is very important,” he said.
“You remember that in the private sector, you have to earn money to pay your salaries.
“So it is not appropriate when the private sector gives their invoices to the government and then a junior official sits on it instead of paying.”
The Prime Minister said the most abused excuse by government departments is that there is no money and that they are waiting for the budget.
“In terms of ministries, there are budgets... but there are cases when they are overspent and when that happens, you can collect your savings from other areas and use them to fill this hole.
“But what’s happening is that when the private sector send us their invoices, a junior officer will just sit on it waiting for the budget to be passed next year.
“That’s why the government is criticised for this mountain of bills that haven’t been paid but then we find out that an official is just sitting on it.” Tuilaepa said this shouldn't be happening.
“The solution for that is Cabinet has the power to spend up to three per cent of the budget without approval.
“Approval will come later. It’s common sense. For example, in an emergency, you cannot say to wait until Parliament meets. So you use this provision and ask later.
“Under this provision, it used to be one per cent of the budget but we’ve amended the Constitution four years ago to make it three per cent.
“At that time it was about four to five million, now can go up to 15million.”
So there is no reason for government departments not to pay their bills to the private sector.
The Prime Minister said he has also told government officials to use their common sense.
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