The Auditor General’s Office is currently probing a possible fraud at the Supreme Court and at the Deeds Registry, acting Auditor General Deodat Sharma said yesterday.
Sharma made the disclosure as the 2011 Auditor General’s report was handed over to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman.
He said the office is looking at a possible fraud at the Supreme Court as well as overpayments at the Deeds Registry, while separate reports are also being compiled on the Amaila Falls Access Road project and on the Hope Canal project, where there have been inconsistencies in terms of monies spent.
Sharma pointed out at the brief ceremony to mark the handing over of the report at the Public Buildings that the report was submitted on the eve of the September 30 deadline. It will be laid in the House when the parliamentary recess ends next month.
This year’s report, like previous years, includes findings of overpayments made at several government agencies and Sharma said the administrators at such offices need to examine the “continuing” trend.
According to him, value for money audits are also being compiled by the Audit Office. One currently being prepared is relevant to the purchase of medical supplies, mainly drugs, he said.
Sharma mentioned that the Audit Office has seen a boost in staffing, which has assisted the department “tremendously” since the unit is also able to carry out audits of additional facilities such as at the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and the municipalities.
He said that the staff at the Audit Office has increased from 163 last year to 200 this year, and this, he said, will be up to standard by next year when the unit plans to attain its required 227 staffers.
Sharma said that the unit has received a grant of US$325,000 which will be used to improve audit practices and standards. He said too that it will also assist in terms of strengthening staffing capacity in the field of forensic fraud investigation. The department’s information technology department will also benefit mainly in infrastructure and communication, he added. The Audit Office will also embark on a public awareness programme aimed at having the public being in tune with its work.
Trotman, in his remarks, said that the functions of the Audit Office remain critical to the country in terms of financial accountability of public funds. He described the meeting of the deadline for the 2011 report as a pivotal landmark, since in the past reports were submitted years after their expected deadline.
Present at yesterday’s forum were Gino Persaud, the President of Transparency Institute of Guyana and Anand Harilall, of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) which has supported the Audit Office.
Trotman criticised the absence of members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and said that each member was invited. According to him, it was a “travesty” that no PAC member showed up at the event.
Yesterday, two long serving staff members of the Audit Office, Donna Ellis and Lorraine Prince were honoured by the organisation, which they each served for more than 30 years.
