Treasury Memoranda for the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 all point to the alarming rate at which excessive waste and abuse of public resources took place under People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
During his post Cabinet press briefing yesterday, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said that the documents contain responses to queries raised by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). This Parliamentary body conducts a review of the Auditor General’s annual reports, and issues to the government, its report on areas of the financial sector which need urgent strengthening.
Harmon said that the Treasury Memoranda for 2012, 2013 and 2014 contains detailed responses to queries of each ministry and administrative region.
Based on its preliminary review, Harmon said that Cabinet noted that for the said years, there was a lack of transparency, accountability and a blatant disregard for the nation’s financial laws. These include the Audit Act, the Procurement Act and the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA).
Further to this, the Minister said, “I understand it (the reports) to be one of the most detailed responses by the government in over 25 years… My understanding is that responses in the past were about two pages and these today are 10 to 12 pages…”
Harmon said that Cabinet will continue to review the reports, after which, they will be laid by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan at the next sitting of the National Assembly which is slated to be June 25.
The last Treasury Memoranda for the years 2010 and 2011 also speak to mismanagement of taxpayers’ funds, particularly as it relates to overpayments to contractors.
