Latest update February 7th, 2025 2:57 PM
Latest News
- AFC Leader Nigel Hughes welcomes any investigation into lands he acquired
- Pres. Ali defends Jagdeo’s attacks on critics
- VP Jagdeo tries to compare 75 acres of jungle lands Nigel Hughes wants to acquire with 35 acres of prime city lands sold to Ed Ahmad and others
- Greaves tells Govt ‘clean money’ used to acquire New York properties- Jagdeo
- Trump says Israel would hand Gaza to the US after fighting is over
APNU seeks “financial freedom” for Audit Office
Today has been set aside for the National Assembly to conduct the business of non-governmental parties in the House, namely the combined opposition. A Partnership for National Unity will be using this session to give ‘financial freedom’ to the Audit Office of Guyana, and APNU’s point man on finances, Carl Greenidge, has tabled a motion which is slated for debate, aimed at achieving just this.
APNU MP Carl Greenidge
Greenidge’s motion calls on the House to resolve to: “remove the Audit Office from the Schedule of Budget Agencies and restore it to its rightful place as an autonomous agency drawing directly on the Consolidated Fund and that these changes be reflected in the Annual Estimates to be submitted by the Minister of Finance for the approval of this.”
The APNU MP’s course of action is premised on what he calls a legislative obligation “that the Auditor General shall act independently in the discharge of his functions.”
The Opposition has for several years called the current manner of allocating monies to the Audit Office as a subvention agency, a mechanism to curtail its function and independence.
According to Greenidge, the Audit Act of Guyana “provides that the Auditor General shall be the external auditor of the public accounts of Guyana and in the discharge of his function, shall have complete discretion.”
He says too that “the Office of the Auditor General and Audit Office are being treated as a Budget Agency by virtue of the Schedule to the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act 2003, which seriously calls into question the autonomy and independence of the Office.
As a part of its mandate, the Audit Office in its Mission Statement declares that: as the Supreme Audit Institution of the State, we are committed to the promotion of good governance including openness, transparency and improved public accountability through the execution of high quality audits of the public accounts, entities and projects assigned by the Audit Act, timely reporting of the results to the legislature and ultimately the public, and ensuring that the independence, integrity and objectivity of the Audit Office is recognized.”
ROLE OF AUDIT OFFICE
The Audit Office of Guyana scrutinizes the expenditure of public funds on behalf of Parliament. The Office conducts financial audits of all publicly-funded entities, including donor-funded entities, local government agencies and trade unions.
The office of the Auditor General is established by the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana. The Constitution also secures the independence of the Office, describes its principal functions, and articulates provisions to govern the appointment of the Auditor General.
The Audit Act of the Laws of Guyana as amended, details specific provisions regarding the duties and powers of the Auditor General in relation to central government agencies and other entities in which the State has a controlling interest.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
What Guyanese leaders can learn from Donald Trump
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News-There is little dispute that Donald Trump knows how to make an entrance. He does so without... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
