Nearly half of Cook Islands government agencies have failed to submit their mandatory reports to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), and majority of those submitted are deemed substandard, according to PAC Chair Teokotai Herman.

Presenting the PAC’s annual review in Parliament last week, Herman revealed that out of 59 government agencies, only 30 had provided reports.

Of these, he noted, most fell short of the required standards.

“As mentioned before by the member from Matavera, in regards to reports that have been tabled to the PAC committee, most of these reports are not up to the standards,” Herman said.

Highlighting the urgency of the issue, Herman emphasized the need for Cabinet Ministers to take responsibility for agencies under their portfolios.

“We would like to request all Cabinet Ministers responsible for these portfolios to encourage all these agencies to report back to this House, how they are spending the money given to them,” he said.

The PAC report tabled on Tuesday included reviews of only seven agencies and two other government entities.

Herman admitted the backlog of reports made it difficult for the committee to carry out its oversight function effectively.

“In this report, we have seven agencies of government and two for review. We noticed yesterday, we have tabled only eight reports, and these are a few that we have received. We are hoping that we will be able to present that in March,” he said.

Herman urged ministers to take proactive steps to address the issue. “Hence the reason why we are asking and recommending ministers in regards to these portfolios if it’s possible for them to write a letter to them or talk to them in regards to their reports so that it can be finished to be given to PAC,” he said.

This is not the first time concerns about government accountability have been raised.

Previous Cook Islands News reports have highlighted the slow pace of financial reporting and the lack of compliance with audit standards, which undermines transparency and accountability in public spending.

Efforts were made to obtain a comment from Public Service Commissioner Carl Hunter on what he thinks about the call by the PAC chair, before the time of press.

With millions of dollars allocated to government agencies annually, the lack of proper reporting not only breaches legal obligations but also raises concerns about how taxpayer funds are being managed, highlighted Herman’s overview.

The committee’s call for action now rests with cabinet ministers, who must ensure their respective agencies comply with reporting standards and deadlines.