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Govt. asks PAC for more time to decide on merging 2020-2022 AG reports
(Kaieteur News) – Government members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have asked for more time to consider an opposition proposal to examine the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Auditor General’s Reports simultaneously, a move APNU says would speed up the committee’s work and reduce unnecessary costs.
The request was made during Monday’s meeting of the newly constituted PAC.
Speaking with Kaieteur News, Opposition PAC member Ganesh Mahipaul said the committee met with full attendance and dealt with several administrative matters before considering proposals put forward by the opposition.
“We have agreed that the committee will decide on the next meeting date and our next meeting date is the 27th of July. At that meeting we are going to examine the remaining paragraphs of the 2019 Auditor General’s Report, which will feature basically the Ministry of Finance,” Mahipaul said.
Opposition PAC Commissioner Ganesh Mahipaul
He added that updates are also expected from ministries and agencies that have outstanding information to provide to the committee.
On APNU’s proposal to merge the examination of the 2020 to 2022 reports, Mahipaul said government members requested additional time before taking a position.
“The government has asked for some time to consider the proposal to merge 2020, 2021 and 2022. The committee has granted them the time to consider the request,” he said.
Mahipaul argued that examining the three reports together would allow the committee to clear its backlog more efficiently while reducing costs to taxpayers.
He warned that rejecting the proposal would prolong scrutiny of years that have already passed and delay guidance for current accounting officers.
“It will be considered wasting taxpayers’ money and wasting resources to bring all the accounting officers, especially from the far-flung regions, to come again and again and again when they can come just one time to deal with the three years together. If there is a need, then they will return based on whether we see the need for them to return,” he said.
He added that the proposal would help the PAC devote more attention to current financial management issues instead of spending years reviewing older reports.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Mahipaul also said the committee discussed APNU’s proposal for weekly meetings.
“Regarding APNU’s proposal for the committee to meet on a weekly basis, it was agreed that, at the conclusion of each meeting, the committee will determine the date of its subsequent meeting. In keeping with that decision, the next meeting has been scheduled for 27th July, 2026, and on that date the committee will determine when it will meet thereafter,” he said.
Describing Monday’s sitting as productive, Mahipaul expressed hope that members would continue working collaboratively.
“Overall, today’s meeting was productive and conducted in a constructive spirit. It is my hope that this approach will continue, allowing the Public Accounts Committee to effectively discharge its responsibility of promoting accountability, transparency, and prudent management of the people’s resources,” he said.
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