Auditor General (ag) Deodat Sharma presented his first Performance (Value for Money) Audit report to the Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran yesterday.

Auditor General (ag) Deodat Sharma presents the Value for Money Performance report to Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran (at left).

The report, entitled “An Assessment of the Living Conditions of the Residents of the Palms Geriatric Institution”, is expected to be laid before the National Assembly.

The report was presented in the Parliament Chambers before several Members of Parliament (MPs) and representatives from the Auditor General’s Office.

The report, which sought to determine whether the entity conducted its business efficiently and effectively, was done with the assistance of the Canadian Comprehensive Auditing Foundation (CCAF-FCVI) and the Audit Office of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The presentation of the report was in accordance with Article 223 (3) of the Guyana Constitution and sections 24 and 28 of the Audit Act (2004).

The Speaker of the National Assembly considers the handing over a major step towards transparency and accountability and was proud that the National Assembly was part of the historic moment.

“We in the National Assembly have had many firsts; and I think this is another first that we have had… I am assured that more of these reports will be forthcoming,” Ramkarran said.

Although the Auditor General (ag) could not disclose to the media the details of the report until it becomes a public document, he said reports on the Old Age Pension and the Procurement Board are expected to be presented in 2010.

The Audit Office of Guyana (AOG) was established in August 1884 and mandated to carry out Performance Audits.

The Auditor General’s role is to assist the National Assembly in its scrutiny of the Government’s performance. (GINA)