In keeping with constitutional reform...Speaker handed Auditor General 2006 report

In keeping with constitutional reform...Speaker handed Auditor General 2006 report
Guyana Chronicle news item, Thursday 31 July 2008

http://www.guyanachronicle.com/news.html


THE report of the Auditor General, on the Public Accounts of Guyana for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, was presented to Speaker of the
National Assembly, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran yesterday.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran (at left) receives the
Auditor General Report on the Public Accounts of Guyana for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2006, from Acting Auditor General, Mr. Deodat Sharma
yesterday. (Photo by Adrian Narine)

It was handed over by Acting Auditor General, Mr. Deodat Sharma, at the
Speaker's Office in Public Buildings, Brickdam, Georgetown, where it is
required to be laid before the National Assembly.
Ramkarran accepted the compendium which includes the accounts of ministries,
departments and the Administrative Regions.
He said it was formerly the responsibility of the Finance Minister to
receive it on behalf of the Government but, under the new constitutional
arrangement, the Speaker of the House takes charge of it.
"So this is in addition to all the other reforms which have been carried out
both to the Auditor General's Department, making it an autonomous agency
within the State structure and those in the National Assembly, as regards
the Public Accounts Committee," Ramkarran explained.
He said: "But, more particularly, the establishment of other committees and
the expansion of the Committees Division of the National Assembly to serve
these committees attest to the transparency and accountability which was
developed during the past few years in relation to the Public Accounts of
Guyana."
Ramkarran also noted that there are additional factors, such as the reports
which the Ministry of Finance must present to the National Assembly within a
certain time, after receiving and studying that of the Public Accounts
Committee.
He said the compilation by the Public Accounts Committee is published and
tabled in the National Assembly, published and discussed at length.
That Committee is headed by People's National Congress Reform - One Guyana
(PNCR-1G) Member of Parliament, Ms. Volda Lawrence.
"It is served with equal competence by members of both the Government and
the Opposition," Ramkarran remarked, declaring that he is pleased to see the
degree of transparency and accountability which has grown and developed in
Guyana over the past few years.
The documentation at the centre of yesterday's formality is expected to be
laid in the House, as a public document, by August 7 before Parliament goes
into recess on August 10.
Sharma said, normally, it is due on September 30 the following year but the
Audit Office was not able to meet that deadline because of staff
constraints.
"Also the Ministry of Finance is required to produce a statement by April
30. In this case, they had some problems and they were not able to do so,"
he stated.
"So that, among other things, made the delay in my presentation but we are
working towards trying to meet that deadline of September 30 in the future,"
Sharma assured.
"The 2007 report is due September 30 this year. We have already started
working towards that and I am hoping to make the deadline but I still have
my staff constraints," he said.
Sharma said the authorised staff strength is 223 but, presently, there are
only 108 persons.
He said, this year, a request was made to recruit 35 more to enable the
office to meet the deadlines
ENDS