–at the end of 2019
MEMBERS of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), earlier this week, raised concerns about the workings of the Region Eight Regional Administration in 2019 under the APNU+AFC, as over 1,000 cheques for projects were cut in December 2019.

This was raised as the Committee examined the Auditor General’s 2019 report for the region, where, it was noted, that while 2,028 cheques were cut for the year totalling $1.701 billion for current and capital expenditure by the regional administration, 1,086 of those cheques totalling some $818.380 million were cut in December of 2019.

Against this backdrop, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira queried from the accounting officers about the reason behind the rush to cut cheques which amount to some 48 per cent of the total funds set aside for the region.
Teixeira further noted that the budget for 2019 was passed early and as such, funds were available to the region in early 2019, and it could not have been an issue where money wasn’t released.

The former Deputy Regional Executive Officer noted that he had no recollection as to why this occurred, and could not provide a response to the committee.
Teixeira said: “I find this unacceptable; 1,086 cheques were written in December and that is 2019… are you telling me that everyone has amnesia in this place? No one has a recall of 1,086 cheques being prepared and signed in December 2019?”

Meanwhile, Auditor General, Deodat Sharma when asked by members of the committee for clarity, stated that when compared to the other months, there was a higher turnover of cheques in December, and as such auditors sought to point out and question why the region waited till the end of the year to have majority of the work done.