PAC Lauds Government Entities

As part of what is now an annual exercise, the Public Accounts Committee applauded all government entities that have excelled in meeting the audit office’s annual requirements.

In addition, a number of special awards were presented under three categories: leading by example, audit efficiency and most improved.

Welcoming the Chief Officers, Chief Financial Officers and Chief Executive Officers and team members who were there to receive the awards, PAC Chairman, Mr. Ezzard Miller highlighted the nearly full compliance of government entities with the requirements of the audit office.

Terming 39 unqualified audit opinions obtained out of 41 entities as a “really serious and commendable achievement” in keeping with being a world-class service provider, the Chairman urged those lagging to change their status by next year. He recalled that the entities had come a long way from 2009 when a considerable number did not have their accounts ready for audit.

Mr. Miller had equal words of praise for the Audit Office whose principals completed all the audits efficiently even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thanking the entities and adding his congratulations, Deputy Governor, Hon. Franz Manderson welcomed the fact that the PAC had held the entities’ “feet to the fire” to ensure they spend the public’s money in a “very judicious manner”. In addition to meeting their financial responsibilities, the accounts were completed to a standard that ensured the public’s right to know how government’s funds were spent.

He acknowledged that all the achieving entities made him very proud, especially the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development for leading among core government entities and encouraged others to give the ministry good competition in the next audit cycle.

PAC Member, MLA Chris Saunders was elated with the improvement in government levels of controls in dealing with finances. Noting that there have to be different standards for the public sector, which was not as easy to audit as the private sector, he emphasised that the quality of work and calibre of persons providing the government accounts were truly world class.

Awards were presented by MLAS and PAC members Mr. Christopher Saunders, Mr. Bernie Bush, Hon. Barbara Conolly, Mr. Austin Harris and Mr. David Wight.