Audited financial reports for Lottery Commission, Bureau of Statistics and NICIL still to be laid in National Assembly  – PAC hears

Mar 25, 2025 News

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Kaieteur News- Several audited reports for the Guyana Lottery Commission, Bureau of Statistics and National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL) are yet to be laid in the National Assembly.

The issue was highlighted when the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) met on Monday to review the 2019 Auditor General’s Report. Opposition Member of Parliament and PAC member, Ganesh Mahipaul posed several questions to a panel of officers from Ministry of Finance on to the status of the reports.

In Guyana, the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA) of 2003 and the Audit Act of 2004 require public agencies’ financial statements to be audited and laid before the National Assembly, with the Auditor General submitting reports to the Speaker within specific timelines.

On Monday, Mahipaul said he noticed while perusing the documents that there was a hyphen or dash next to the Guyana Lottery Commission but no information as to the status of the reports that are supposed to be laid in the House.

“As it relates the Guyana Lottery Commission…We didn’t see that a report has been laid in the National Assembly because there’s a dash there, apparently like none was ever laid. What does the dash mean?  I’m hoping that it don’t mean that it was never laid?” Mahipaul enquired.

In response, Finance Secretary attached to the Ministry of Finance, Sukrishnalall Pasha explained that he could not say for sure if any of the reports were ever laid.

“Let me do the research and get back to you on that…” Pasha said.

In response to a similar line of questioning in relation to the audited reports for the Bureau of Statistics, the Finance Secretary revealed there is a backlog of reports for years 2012 to 2017.

He said however that his team is actively addressing the issue.

“We want to be sure that all the information and not only the financial statement are put together before we submit to the National Assembly,” Pasha said.

As it relates to the reports that are yet to be submitted for years 2012 to 2017, the Finance Secretary explained that this might be due to a lack of capacity.

“To be honest, when I once I started engaging the Bureau of Statistics, I recognized that they had a capacity issue. Immediately we made changes to the accounting department we also facilitated the use of IFMAS [Integrated Financial Management and Accounting System] and we were able based on those changes to get the Bureau of Statistics to bring some of their financial statements up to date,” Pasha revealed.

However, Mahipaul pointed that only two of the five modules of the IFMAS system were implemented.  Referencing the 2019 audit report, the PAC member enquired whether the other modules were ever introduced to the system.

“I noticed in 2019, IFMAS were configured and enhanced to include new and additional functions and reports. Seven of the modules were partially implemented while five were not implemented at the time of reporting.”

He continued: “I noticed the Ministry of Finance said that it continues to increasingly explore methods and systems to modernize and improve public financial management in a phased manner. Efforts have been directed towards strengthening systems including re-engineering of business processes the restructuring the government’s accounts that would be more aligned with the reforms that are considered pre-requisites towards the adoption of the international public sector accounting standards. Can you give us an update on the IFMAS system?”

In response, Deputy Accountant General, Jennifer Chapman explained that no progress has been made towards implementing the modules as the government is still exploring other methods of upgrading its financial system.

“It’s still a work in progress. There hasn’t been any progress though from 2019 to now in terms of implementation. We’re still at the same stage where we’re still considering to get the most suitable system,” Chapman told the PAC.

In relation to NICIL, the Finance Secretary said that the financial statements were submitted up to 2024 to the Auditor General and the last time a NICIL report was laid in the National Assembly was in 2013.

“We are doing work to bring the reports up to date but I can say for sure that the last report was laid in the National Assembly in terms of NICIL is 2013.”

(Audited financial reports for Lottery Commission, Bureau of Statistics and NICIL still to be laid in National Assembly  – PAC hears)

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• 2019 Auditor General’s Report, National Assembly, Public Accounts Committee

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