In other news, the Joint Public Accounts Committee held its 7th meeting and 1st public hearing yesterday at the National Assembly. The bi-cameral, bi-partisan, multi sectoral committee met with the newly reinstated Auditor General, Dorothy Bradley, Financial Secretary, Joseph Waight, and Accountant General, Teresita Miranda.
The committee examined the general findings of the auditor general's report for 2012 - 2013, including a minority report of the Public Accounts Committee prepared in 2018.
The meeting was about three hours long, but here's a snippet where the committee members posed questions to the auditor general.
Tracy Panton, Chairperson, JPAC:
"Since September to now, your reinstatement as auditor general, have you put together, if I can rephrase my question, a work plan or a framework of how we can be more systematic in reviewing government's expenditure to ensure that it meets the standards of transparency and accountability that is required of the various government departments and ministries and of course the kind of oversight this committee is expected to provide."
Dorothy Bradley, Auditor General:
"The plan, I'm not sure if I understand you, no there isn't a plan because when we complete an audit, it is housed with the recommendations. Based on those recommendations then the public accounts committee which is the oversight will take that and discuss and try to chart a way forward as to how the ministries and other department will comply with the recommendations, and those who are accountable, hold them accountable and then to get some action. If that doesn't happen, then I don't know, it's up to discussion as to how. We don't have a plan because when we do a report, we make recommendations, and then based on those, lead to actions."
Kareem Musa, Member, JPAC:
"I don't know if you've had the opportunity what is now being termed the minority report based on the 2012/2013 auditor general's report but if you have, my question is, what do you feel about the recommendations that are being made, did we miss anything in that report that you would want to see in terms of the way forward for greater accountability."
Dorothy Bradley, Auditor General:
"When I look at the recommendations I would say that without the strengthening of the accountant general's department that I don't see us making the kind of strides that would be necessary to close the gap because it requires the level of staffing that understands what is required of that office but I think the importance now is to bridge that gap."
Julius Espat, Member, JPAC:
"Apart from those recommendations is there any other recommendations you would put to be able to beef up the accountant general's office."
Dorothy Bradley, Auditor General:
"I think that all those are necessary but if you ask my I will say that even if it consulting, short term, long term, however term, that they need that kind of assistance to start the way forward."
The committee will meet again on February 20th.
