Local NewsNewsPolitics Yearwood welcomes proposed Internal Audit Department, has questions by Barbados Today 21/08/2022 written by Barbados Today Updated by Desmond Brown 21/08/2022 2 min read A+A- Reset Share FacebookTwitterLinkedinWhatsappEmail 266 Government’s proposed establishment of a new Internal Audit Department next year in response to some of the financial irregularities highlighted in the recent Auditor General’s report has been welcomed by the Democratic Labour Party (DLP). However, speaking to a large gathering at the DLP headquarters at George Street, Belleville, St. Michael for the annual general conference on Saturday, the party’s leader, Dr Ronnie Yearwood, described it as an element of “fantasy politics”. And he queried why an entirely new department could be established to manage financial affairs but the government “cannot properly staff the current one, the Auditor General’s, that is enshrined in the Constitution of Barbados”. “There was no response to the recommendation from the Auditor General to be provided with more staff. Sixty-something pages of response and not a single one that says the Auditor General would get the staff that he asked for but we are getting a new International Audit office,” he said. The Office of the Auditor General is an independent audit office that serves Parliament and the people of Barbados by way of conducting financial audits of the government’s financial statements (public accounts). Further addressing the Director of Finance and Economic Affairs Ian Carrington’s recent announcements, Yearwood contended that what was missing, which he maintained was not Carrington’s fault, were responses that showed political action and accountability. This he charged could be had by giving the office of the Auditor General, what he called, “more bite” and through the restructuring of the Public Accounts Committee so that it is an independent committee. “How can members of Parliament police Members of parliament?” the political leader asked. “No response to the Constitutional changes to make the Independent senator the chair of the Public Accounts Committee so it can meet and get on with the people’s business even though we recognise that the Public Accounts Committee needs thorough reform. However, what the Auditor General suggested would be better than nothing.” Yearwood also condemned any government that, according to him, used civil servants as scapegoats rather than accepting responsibility for any issue that may arise and fixing it. “The Prime Minister and a government of 30 need not hide behind civil servants when there is a difficult situation, face it head on. Someone has to be responsible in a government of 30. I encourage the professionals, and I want you to hear me civil servants, I encourage you to press on with the difficult job that you have at hand but do not be used as political scapegoats by this or any government in Barbados,” Yearwood stressed. (KC) Barbados Today Stay informed and engaged with our digital news platform. The leading online multimedia news resource in Barbados for news you can trust. You may also like Caribbean Development Bank appoints Barbadian Daniel Best as its seventh president 04/12/2024 SMARTER Project launched to explore biofuels for energy 04/12/2024 Cows arrive to help boost local milk production 04/12/2024
