Numerous State entities in breach of Fiscal Management and Accountability Act

Numerous State entities in breach of Fiscal Management and Accountability Act – PAC

May 14, 2019 News

In a report compiled for 2018, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has highlighted a number of State agencies for breach of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act .
In its report, the PAC cited the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the Office of the Prime Minister, the Lethem Power Company, for operating in breach of section 80 of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act, (FMAA) with regard to the preparation and timely submission of financial statements. Section 80 of the FMAA speaks to the statutory bodies and the submission of revenue estimates for expenditures for each fiscal year to their subject Minister.
According to Section 80 of the Act, a statutory body shall, as soon as is practicable and in all events not later than four months after the end of the fiscal year established for that statutory body or, if no fiscal year has been established, after the end of each calendar year, submit an annual report to the concerned Minister.
The Act further stipulates that the format for the annual report of a statutory body shall be as determined by the concerned Minister in consultation with the Minister.
“The annual report of a statutory body shall include— (a) a statement of assets and liabilities of Laws of Guyana 70 Cap. 73:02 – Fiscal Management and Accountability Forgiveness of debts.
The statutory body as at the end of the fiscal or calendar year; shall submit a statement of revenue and expenditures of the statutory body for the fiscal or calendar year; and a report prepared by the Auditor General on the annual financial statements of the statutory body.
The concerned Minister shall, within two months following the receipt of the annual report, present the annual report of each statutory body to the National Assembly.”
In addition to GPHC and the Office of the Prime Minister, the report also cited the Mahdia Power Company, Port Kaituma Power and Light Company; Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Guyana Tourism Authority; Competition and Consumer Protection Commission; Guyana Consumer Association; Consumer Advisory Bureau, Ministry of Public Infrastructure; Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation; Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation; Transport and Harbours Department and the Maritime Administration Department, have all been listed as non-compliant.
The document further highlighted infractions committed by State agencies for failure to commit unspent balances to the consolidated funds in accordance with Section 43 of the fiscal Management and Accountability Act 2003.
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Region 1, 4 and 5.
Additionally, the PAC pointed to breaches by the Ministry of Social Protection, Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Ministry of Public Health; Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation; Guyana Defence Force and Regions 8, 9, 10 for poor record keeping of the logbooks.
The Ministries of Education, Indigenous Affairs and Public Health and Regions 1, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 have been continuing to disregard the regulations governing the clearing of payments vouchers and cheque orders.

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