THE Ministry of Land and Mineral Resources was scrutinised by the Public Accounts Committee over the land use division standard operations procedures (SOPs).
This came to light while the ministry was making submissions on the audit report on the management of lands reform program yesterday.
Ministry permanent secretary Malakai Finau said there were amendments made to the procedures.
“We need to address and improve some areas on the SOPs. The amendments are still under review and we are targeting to finalise the report at the end of this financial year,” Mr Finau said.
SODELPA MP Aseri Radrodro said the audit report stated that the procedures were drafted, finalised and was implemented.
“According to the Office of the Auditor General, the SOPs were implemented last year. But now you are coming back and telling us that it’s still in progress,” he said.
“When are you going to implement it? At the end of this financial year?”
In response, Mr Finau said there were amendments needed to be made as the land use division was a totally new unit within the ministry.
“There is a section on land use division in the current SOPs for the ministry. This is a new development and once we began operations, we found there were areas that needed to be addressed,” Mr Finau said.
“There is a need to land marketing and other procedures of landowners.”
The SOPs, Mr Finau said was a guideline for the ministry on how they carried out their activities and operations.
