By Paki Ormsby, Deputy Chief Executive, Operations, PASAI
Effective public institutions operating with integrity and good governance are essential to realising the vision of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent for a resilient, inclusive and prosperous region. They are the backbone of efficiency in service delivery and societal resilience.
In the Pacific, where communities are often dispersed across vast oceanic distances and face acute vulnerabilities to climate change, natural disasters and socio-economic challenges, strong public institutions are essential. They play a critical role in:
delivering essential services (health, education, infrastructure)
ensuring transparency and accountability
managing natural resources and the Blue Economy
responding to climate and disaster risks
upholding equity, inclusion and human rights.
Strengths and challenges
Fortunately, the Pacific region benefits from:
rich cultural traditions and community networks that can be integrated into governance
regional cooperation mechanisms like the Pacific Islands Forum and regional agencies, including PASAI
international partnerships that bring technical and financial support.
While many Pacific nations have made strides in strengthening governance, significant challenges remain. Limited resources, capacity constraints, fragmented approaches and external pressures can hinder institutional effectiveness. Furthermore, our national and regional institutions must continue to evolve to meet rising expectations for transparency, equity and service delivery. This requires investment in capacity building, digital transformation and inclusive policymaking, especially with civil society organisations.
Building trust
Accountability and transparency are not just outcomes to measure but attributes that institutions must continuously build through actions and behaviours that foster public confidence. A significant component in building trust is the effectiveness of the oversight role of the supreme audit institutions and the Legislature in holding governments to account.
Public institutions, particularly SAIs, need to be trusted by the public. As our former Secretary-General discussed in our last webinar (and captured in the related term-in-review paper), building trust requires:
competence – the effective delivery of services and management of resources
reliability – consistently meeting obligations and upholding standards over time
honesty – acting with integrity, transparency and openness in all dealings.
Ultimately, for citizens to feel public institutions are working in their overall interests, they must have reason to believe those institutions are responsive to their concerns and are accountable for the public money that they spend.
A focus for Congress
Noting the critical importance of effective public institutions, the theme for this year’s Congress is Audit impact for improved accountability and transparency. Building on the theme there will be sessions dedicated to:
identifying solutions to challenges faced by SAIs in small island developing states to adhere to international auditing standards
enhancing audit quality through regional collaboration
audit impact – adding value to a SAI and influencing accountability and transparency
strengthening collaborative work for SAIs and legislatures to improve accountability and transparency.
By bringing our members together at Congress next month to discuss these issues of mutual importance, we are contributing to our own vision, mission and values as well as to the strengthening of national and regional institutions.
Conclusion
Strong public institutions are not just administrative bodies, they are enablers of the Pacific’s collective vision. By investing resources and effort in effective public institutions today, we can ensure a resilient, inclusive and thriving Blue Pacific Continent by 2050.
