Controversial drug bond, stelling among Audit Office report focus

Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir receives the report from the Auditor General on Thursday afternoon

Auditor General of Guyana Deodat Sharma today presented his 16th Audit Report as Auditor General to the Speak of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir.

Sharma’s report among other things highlighted special investigations which focused on the Ministry of Public Health Drug Bond, Ministry of Social Protection’s Sustainable Livelihood Entrepreneurial Development Project and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s Leguan Stelling Rehabilitation.

The status of those reports according to Auditor General are all complete.

Other Special Investigations include the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, Ministry of Legal Affairs Retainters Agreement and Ministry of the Presidency Aquisition of Birth Certificates.

Those investigations remain ongoing according to the Sharma.

Sharma said the audit office has been pushing to ensure that the best standards and improve standards are adhered to but given COVID-19, the scope of the audits suffered limitations as a result of rotations.

He said that there is a need for the government to move away from the manual editing if agencies and documents through enhanced technology available is important to both government and the audit office to ensure efficiency as this will allow remote access to files and information.

Additionally, four performance audits commenced this year which looked at the review of the council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Preparedness for Marine Oil Spill, Maternal Health Care Services at the Georgetown Public Hospital and the Hinterland School Feeding Programme.

Those however have been affected in their completion due to Covid-19 but according to Sharma, the Audi Office expected to complete those audits in 2021.

In his remarks, Speak of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir following the acceptance of the report stated that he was pleased that the report was handed over despite the delay.

He said he expects the report to be tabled at the first sitting if thr house in 2021 and commended the Audit Office for its delivery of the report notwithstanding its challenges.

Speaker Nadir said that with the work of the Audit Office, there is a move each year to ensure better transparency. He made reference to the report being laid in the National Assembly as against the office of the Minister of Finance.