…tributes, well wishes go out to former Chairman Murray
The National Assembly yesterday approved a motion adopting the Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Public Accounts for the year 2006 and referred it to the Government of Guyana for consideration. Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), PNCR Member of Parliament Volda Lawrence, moved the motion. And as a fitting tribute, she lauded her predecessor Winston Murray for his work on the committee.
“His chair is vacant this afternoon. I trust that this would not be the only prayer uttered for this small giant who last Thursday sat with us in this House,” she said, referring to an earlier invocation by Reverend Kwame Gilbert on the safe recovery of Murray.
She said that many of the issues highlighted in the report of the PAC on the 2006 Auditor General’s report have been overridden by time and events. But she said that of the 16 main problems listed in the report, the number one is the non-establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC). “There continues to be no discernable effort to do so,” she said.
Lawrence noted that six years ago the Procurement Act became operational and the PAC has been unable to comply with the requirements of the Act, because of the non-establishment of the PPC.
She said that for almost two years the Government has been unable to submit their names to the PAC for consideration. She said that the Government has not brought the PPC into being, even though the Bill was passed “to fulfilled conditionalities.”
Lawrence referred to article 212 (a) of the Constitution as regards the functioning of the PPC. She said that another problem coming out of the non existence of the PPC is the non compliance of various levels of the PPA.
She noted that the PAC expressed the disapproval over the disregard of the PPA by the head of budget agencies and regions. The PAC Chairman said that the body is awaiting the Auditor General’s value for money audit of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).
Lawrence, spoke of the problem of overpayment to contractors, “which the PAC has highlighted in all of its previous reports.” She said that the PAC has concluded that there is collusion between staff of budget agencies and contractors to defraud the Government of revenues. She said that the PAC recommends that public officers who affix their names to certificates of works completed to be surcharged.
PPP/C Member of Parliament Bibi Shaddick made the point that many of the matters being discussed have been overtaken by time. “What I have noted is that every year when the report comes there are 15 prior year matters and two current year matters. When these reports come, there are not really current issues,” she said.
Shaddick noted that the report of the PAC has mistakes in it and said that “the PAC as a committee did not really adopt this.”
Said Shaddick: “I am very disturbed that the PPC has not been established. In 2004 Government submitted names to the committee and since then there have been discussions between the opposition and the Government.”
She said that while the PPC has a supervisory role over the NPTAB, the PPC is not going to take the place of the NPTAB.
Shaddick pointed out that the agencies should make the corrections before they appear in front of the PAC. She said too that while there were incorrect findings from the Auditor General, this is not always the case.
On the frequent complaints of overpayment, Shaddick said that there have been cases where the Auditor General went back and found that there has not been overpayment to contractors. Further, on another frequent complaint – the use of the lotto funds – Shaddick said that it is the opinion of the Attorney General Charles Ramson that this is not against the law.
Shaddick noted that over the years “we have been seeing improvements in the way accounting officers [account for monies given to them]. There are many agencies that have improved.”
Meanwhile, she lauded Murray for his work in the PAC, calling him one of the better members of the Committee.
David Patterson of the Alliance for Change (AFC) said that Murray has been like a mentor to him in the PAC and said that his absence will be sorely missed.
In wrapping up the session as Leader of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds on behalf of the PPP/C, and on his own behalf, expressed concern for the health and well-being of Murray.
“One of his last interactions in this House was with myself when he both commended me and took me to task in a manner that was quite exemplary. Even though we read of his condition in the newspapers, we join in the prayers for his recovery,” Prime Minister Hinds said.