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An Invisible Auditor General

However, a second driver for the interest in the performance and capacity of PACs has been the global interest in governance and oversight and in the role of parliament in curbing corruption – (Stapenhurst et al., 2006). What is certain about this time every year when the Auditor General releases his report is to expect…

,
Auditor General, Leigh Trotman
Auditor General, Leigh Trotman

However, a second driver for the interest in the performance and capacity of PACs has been the global interest in governance and oversight and in the role of parliament in curbing corruption – (Stapenhurst et al., 2006).

What is certain about this time every year when the Auditor General releases his report is to expect the same trite remarks to be made by all and sundry led by the politicians. The traditional media takes the opportunity to relieve itself of the responsibility to report on the findings for a few days by sensationalizing an aspect of public sector malfeasance which is bound to manifest itself in the report.  Then business continues as usual until next time around.

Disappointing has been the failure of THIS government to enact transparency legislation. It promised the legislation soon after it was elected in 2008! More disappointing is the change THIS  government championed the repeal to the Public Accounts Committee Act which makes it almost impossible for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to operate with teeth. The feeble excuse given by government that public officers must be protected is lame. Can anyone imagine the National Housing Corporation borrowing from the National Insurance Scheme to pay salaries BUT hiring employees in the lead up to the last general election? Please explain why leader of the Opposition in her capacity as Chair of the PAC was not doing taxpayers business by placing Permanent Secretary Ronald Bascombe under pressure for his role in the affair.

In the private sector a qualified audit opinion of the financial statement is regarded as unacceptable and is damaging to the company’s reputation. The fallout most often than triggers a shakeup in senior management. However, year after year our Auditor General issues qualified opinions with no significant attempt to remedy the situation. How long have we been promised NIS financials for public viewing? This is OUR money for heavenssakes!

We wait until next year to read what Auditor General Leigh E. Trotman has to report.

Relevant Link: Read Nation newspaper editorials dated April 11, 2014 and March 21, 2013

50 responses to “An Invisible Auditor General”

  1. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    David,
    I think most of the good people of this land are totally fed up and feel helpless. This inept incompetent government has this country in a permanent recession………..all the other countries have come out or are coming out of the so called worst recession and we are in paralysis. What can we do?

    I read today an article in the Sun and I then I fully understood why this government who was going to be the most transparent administration ever…….. I now understood why they wanted the PAC act repealed.

    ………”Large cash advances to three state enterprises were made over the last year without parliamentary approval”. In his report laid in the House of Assembly last Tuesday, the Auditor General stated that advances to a number of agencies increased by 137 million dollars during the financial year but there was no evidence that these advances were made from any capital appropriation.” This is against the Audit Act.

    Noteworthy are the state enterprises getting this money underhand………NHC, SSA, BAMC and the QEH. He noted that these entities are not self financing and have no capacity to repay these loans.

    No wonder the worst AG, the worst tourism minister and Dumbville blocked the PAC……loudly declaring they have nothing to hide. Now we know that they had something to hide. But how could the worst finance minister ever be doling out money without going to parliament. Does he think that taxpayers money is his to spend as he darn well likes?

    DLP, you wont always be the government.

  2. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    You now understand why there is a proliferation of statutory boards and government owned private companies. They are mechanisms for misappropriation and laundering of public funds.

    The latest statutory board, the Barbados Revenue Authority has the Auditor General as its auditor, but the act does not require him to report the results of his audit to Parliament. According to sections 21 and 23, the Auditor General reports the results of his audit to the Minister and the board of the BRA.

  3. AfraRaymond Avatar
    AfraRaymond

    David, this is the same issue I am critical of here in T&T with the mammoth $1Billion+ Beetham Water Recycling Project omitted from our 2014 national budget – those articles are ‘Crystal Clear’ and ‘Failure to Account’…these comments are spot-on thus far…

  4. dompey Avatar
    dompey

    Georgie Porgie

    A lot of good people in Barbados are some of the same people who voted out the BLP for doing such a great job. It makes good sense to the intellectual mind, does it? lol

  5. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926 TO 2014 , MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS OF BARBADOS, BLPand DLP=Massive Fruad Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926 TO 2014 , MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS OF BARBADOS, BLPand DLP=Massive Fruad

    dompey | April 12, 2014 at 10:55 PM@ Both are the same , so please do not pick sides, These crimes did not start from last year report ,But the cover up of the BLP work started when the DLP got in to Office,
    The bump is so big for all they swept under the rug ,that the entire Nation is tripping over it on their face, Owen and MIA , one drunk and unlawful crook work is exposed NOW,
    CASWELL wrote his report in 2002 and now cake is out of the oven , One Nasty state of Affairs, Fraud ,crooks ,liars and Scumbags is the order of the Day, Now you all know and see the truth , what will you say,
    We have old crooks and newly Elected Crook learning from the old crooks,
    The soup have to many flies in it ,here comes the bats to drop in now.
    Get a Bowl,Like Jet Blue say,,,,EAT UP

  6. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh29n6Ld2s99T2672T

  7. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CEEQFjAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbussorah.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F10%2F14%2Fadvice-from-bubba-leroy%2F&ei=d2BKU5GzMYn10gG93ICwBA&usg=AFQjCNFvjk1_x67__F1r18QZqig6kg5tvQ&sig2=IcPExNkTszoZo4TGwNOQVg&bvm=bv.64542518,d.dmQ

  8. Hamilton Hill Avatar
    Hamilton Hill

    NEWSFLASH: Most of the good people of this land have long been fed up with government. A look at the dwindling numbers that even bother to vote lends credence to this fact. Contrary to what BLP yardfowls would have us believe, the shit that the Auditor General continues to wipe up spands across the collective banners of both parties. One is six and the other is half dozen. The BLP and the DLP need to be removed from the landscape of Barbadian politics. End of discussion.

  9. David Avatar
    David

    @Hamilton

    We know you are an avid follower of the talk show on VoB, the resignation and hopelessness expressed by David Ellis at the local state of affairs last week would not have been lost on you.

  10. David Avatar
    David

    @Afra

    What CLICO/CL Financial has thought us is that we have a problem with governance in the private and public sectors. The buzz nowadays is about corruption and realization that it has become the Achilles heel for Caribbean economies. Many of us have looked on with interest the inability of T&T to effectively operationalize the Integrity Commission.

  11. HAMILTON A HILL Avatar
    HAMILTON A HILL

    @ David…No its not. My problem is this. Here is a man that many Barbadians respect as a top journalist. While he has the audience and the facility to get the message across, does he still have the passion he once had? Sustained indignation is what I’m talking about. Peter Wickham on the soap box will stay there for days and days even though sometimes the cause he is defending is more personal than anything else. David needs to do the same…at least in this instance.

  12. David Avatar
    David

    @Hamilton

    Agree David has to wield his influence some more given info which he is aware based on his position. We all understand he manages the station and has to walk a balance but when it compromises his journalistic principles he needs to ask some heavy question. BU intercepts all kinds of information on a daily basis which informs many positions we hold and there is a ton of other info which we don’t have time or resources to explore, David is in a better position.

    BU’s offer is open to all journalists to give us the leads which their bosses leave on the editorial floor.

  13. Stew Peas Avatar
    Stew Peas

    @Caswell, the corruption continues.
    Another one for the Barbadian public. The Chairmen and Chairwomen of Secondary Schools’ Board called a meeting of all Secretary/Treasurers recently to a meeting. The speaker at that meeting was Guyson Mayers. He told the Secretary/Treasurers’ that contrary to what obtained before, Secretary/Treasurers are not to take any orders from their respective Principals. Orders must be taken from Chairmen/women. For example, Secretary/Treasurers in consultation with Principals cannot spend any money on school affairs once it is over $2,000.00.

    One Secretary/treasurer got and ask him so what about the light and water bills that are in excess of $10,000 every month at her school? One Principal told his Secretary/Treasurer, bluntly “read between the lines, this is another means of controlling the spending of government money to benefit friends, families and cronies”..The principal went on to warn his Secretary/Treasurer that “chairmen/women come and Chairmen/women go so very very careful what you agree to”.

  14. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    You all have misinterpreted David Ellis behaviour on the radio. First and always in his mind is the need to make money for Starcom Network. He sits on the fence making sure that he says nothing that would offend anyone that could possibly contribute to the station’s bottom line. Didn’t you see how he bent over backwards to kiss Bissy Williams’ behind. Other callers who he perceives as not having influence is talked over and not allowed to develop a point.
    >

  15. Artaxerxed Avatar
    Artaxerxed

    It is ironic that after the Opposition, through the Public Accounts Committee, revealed the National Housing Corporation was receiving funds from Ministry of Finance on a monthly basis, without Parliamentary approval, the Prime Minister Stuart sought to protect Sinckler by suggesting the PAC has been operating like a “kangaroo court” and took haste to bring legislation to repeal the PAC Act.

    What is also disturbing is that the media did not find it interesting to follow up these allegations, but would seek to sensationalize [although it is a serious issue] children at school having sex.

    These finance issues of this nature should be discussed by all taxpayers. The DLP went the length and breadth of this island during their pre-election campaign meetings telling Barbadians that the BLP was corrupt and about the cost over-runs. Yet, when individuals seek to question the integrity of these DLP politicians, they are met with verbal abuse, especially at their constituency branch meetings, and you have brass bowls in the audience laughing.

    Additionally, as I remember the DLP’s pre-election campaign meetings by all accounts were similar to BLP’s people’s forum meetings, of which the DLP is so highly critical of and is suggesting these meetings are inciting people to riot.

  16. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Due Diligence….were we not debating on this same issue yesterday?

    http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/wheres-my-money/

  17. David Avatar
    David

    @Caswell

    David gine ban you.

  18. Artaxerxed Avatar
    Artaxerxed

    David Ellis and the other journalists [well… except for those at the Advocate and CBC] should also take an “investigative journalistic view” of issues such as:

    • The sending home of Commissioner of Police Dottin by former policeman Guyson Mayers in his role as head of the PSC
    • What has become of those teachers who refused to adhere to the stipulations of the Alexandra School enquiry, and were on extended sick leave for months
    • The manner in which public officers were retrenched against the back ground of the government’s new labour laws
    • Off budget spending by the National Housing Corporation and how many people were employed prior to the 2013 elections
    • Government’s effort to consolidate the operations of several statutory corporations in view that similar services are being offered by National Assistance Board, Urban and Rural Development Commissions, Welfare Department and the much acclaimed Constituency Councils. We know that Stuart made it clear that the councils are here to stay.
    • The Auditor General’s comments about the financial position of the councils and their failure to submit financial statements. I would think that the controversial nature in which these constituency councils were established, the minister responsible would have made it a priority to see that all financials were above board. Perhaps the new Audi was his priority
    • The status of Estwick’s alternative economic plans
    • The amount of taxes introduced by the government during the past 6 years and their impact on households. Seems as though the DLP is taxing their way out of this recession.
    • Civil servants being send home “willy nilly”, and those who remain in the system have not received a salary increase in years, acting allowances taken away as they are reverted to original posts, taxes on salaries and allowances; the banks refusing loans to those remaining; yet Steve Blackett could be seen driving around in a $200,000 Audi
    • The ease with which banks in this island can invent fees without reprimand
    • What became of the consumer organisation that was established by DLP yard fowls and Haynseley Benn to rival the consumer organisation headed by Malcolm Gibbs-Taitt

  19. David Avatar
    David

    Finally Wehner (2003) suggests that that growing complexity and commercialisation of the public sector may undermine the ability of the PAC to ‘follow’ public funds. However, another implication of these changes is that PAC members may lack the expertise to understand the complex and increasingly commercial context which PACs are now expected to address.

  20. HAMILTON A HILL Avatar
    HAMILTON A HILL

    @ Caswell.. David once told a caller “I’m neither DLP nor BLP, I’m VOB.” I take your point but all that I am saying is that as one of the most senior journalists in the country, and certainly one that is truly respected by all, well not all if ya counting Owen, he needs to stand up and defend the profession. Who knows? perhaps he too is a member of the social gathering known here in bim as Blowhards And Jokers.

  21. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    David

    That would be his choice. I believe that I add value to the programme when I call. If they want to ban me that would be their loss.

    >

  22. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Didn’t you hear Bissy Williams say that David Ellis was at his wedding? They did not: grow up together; go to school together; work together; or have anything in common, except that Bissy could use him.

    I do not understand what people call a senior journalist. Do you mean that he is older than most of the other practicing journalist? I certainly not merited by an outstanding body of work.

    >

  23. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Sorry that last comment was in response to Hamilton Hill.

    >

  24. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    @ Artaxerxed | April 13, 2014 at 11:02 AM |

    David Ellis and the other journalists [well… except for those at the Advocate and CBC] should also take an “investigative journalistic view” of issues such as:
    • The sending home of Commissioner of Police Dottin by former policeman Guyson Mayers in his role as head of the PSC

    @Stew Peas | April 13, 2014 at 9:10 AM |
    Another one for the Barbadian public. The Chairmen and Chairwomen of Secondary Schools’ Board called a meeting of all Secretary/Treasurers recently to a meeting. The speaker at that meeting was Guyson Mayers. He told the Secretary/Treasurers’ that contrary to what obtained before, Secretary/Treasurers are not to take any orders from their respective Principals…………………………………

    This man’s name keeps popping up. What right he has to be telling secretary/treasurers not to take orders from principals? So who runs the schools? He lorded it over the former COP and then leaked the whole document but he would do well to remember that the DLP’s days are numbered. He will not always be powerful. This is the same man whom the residents of St Joseph had to block from distributing whatever he had on election day.

    As Yestwick said…..Time longer than twine!

  25. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Stew Peas

    I would advise secretary/treasurers to read the Education Regulations for themselves. The Education Regulations 1982 at paragraph 11 states:

    The person appointed to carry out the duties of Secretary and Treasurer must
    (a)
    (b)
    (c)

    (h) order and receive supplies for the school with the approval of the principal

  26. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    Caswell,

    I agree with your comments on David Ellis.

    I do not know why you bother yourself to call the programme when he is on. As soon as you say……..Mr Ellis, Caswell Franklyn here……………DLP alarm bells go off in his head as if he thinks you are coming to attack the DLP. As soon as you say anything, he goes off …….back that up with facts.

    DLP yardfowls call in and he allows them to get away with murder but after they spew their lies…….he would then say…….I want a BLP to call in to put their side but all of this time all the DLP propaganda has gone out. When a Bee calls, he is quick to put the other side to be fair and balanced.

    Not that I have a problem with that but you have to be fair up on both sides. After his treatment of “Tall Boy” some time ago, Tall Boy no longer calls when he is on. I was glad when he was off air for a few weeks, to be honest.

    For all he does to be good to the DLP, I laughed my head off Friday when he said that the Stinkliar no longer takes his calls. As a seasoned journalist, he still does not understand this DLP? OSA did not call them a bunch of wild boys and a gal for nothing!

  27. BARBADOS TRIPADVISOR.COM Avatar
    BARBADOS TRIPADVISOR.COM

    Perhaps barbados and the world should look at this
    http://wealthreporter.com/sa/secret-china-plot.html?prcode=POILQ371

  28. BARBADOS TRIPADVISOR.COM Avatar
    BARBADOS TRIPADVISOR.COM

    barbados got any gold stocked up?

  29. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Caswell Franklyn

    With thanks … ha ha ha

    David Ellis as a great anything … are people so bloody brainwashed ..?

    Good journalists, and there are many around the world, have one thing in common, Balls. Ellis and company have the ability to thread lightly, without bringing harm to those who can potentially hurt Starcom, while conveying the impression that he is fearless …

    Look, you have to be a contributor to the call in program to know the many ways that your contributions can be smoothed over, dismissed, spoken over, placed just before a commercial break and forgotten on return, or even be the target of the Ellis ad hominem approach to defending the status quo. Of course there is always the “cutting” (full censorship) and the “must bring balance” approach that takes the edge off of meaningful comments … and so on.

    Ellis my ass …

  30. David Avatar
    David

    Pelizzo et al (2006)2 represented an important extension of the earlier McGee (2002) work in that they were more specifically focused on the question of performance and collected additional data collection from both national and provincial parliaments in Commonwealth Countries. They found that the most significant success factors reported by PAC chairs relate to the ability of the PAC to act as a catalyst to improve the implementation of policy decisions and to improve the provision of information to parliament. Therefore the principal measures deployed were the percentage of recommendations accepted by government and the percentage of recommendations implemented.

  31. David Avatar
    David

    Based on the last comment it would be informative if the Opposition, UWI, NGO or an enterprising MBA student looking for a worthwhile desert would undertake an analysis of AG comments implemented and impact.

  32. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ Prodigal Son

    I tend to agree with your analysis of Ellis. If you want further proof, check how he let Mary the Trinidadian woman rant and rave when she calls the program, without challenging what she contributes. On the other hand, take his treatment of Winnie the Jamaican.

    Here we have a Jamaican who is pro BLP and she is given rough treatment by moderators, especially Maureen Holder and Ellis. Even the DLP supporters want her to return to Jamaica.
    Then we have Mary the Trinidadian who is pro DLP, she is given latitude to spew her political diatribe with being asked to bring substantiating facts. And no DLP supporter asks for her to be deported to Trinidad.

  33. David Avatar
    David

    What about Arthur?

  34. Hamilton Hill Avatar
    Hamilton Hill

    @ Caswell…My regards are based on the gentleman’s ability to conduct an interesting interview, and where that Is concerned it has to be handed to him. About his body of work I am also in disagreement with your assessment. Yes we could do with some investigative journalism, but would that not be a first for Barbados?

  35. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    I could never understand why Barbadians are so quick to tell people who live and have a legimate right to be here….to go back to their homeland. Yet Barbadians are delighted when they hear of a Barbadian in some far off land. Why?

  36. Look Out !. Avatar
    Look Out !.

    I see that David Ellis has been added to the list of people Caswell Franklyn has singled out for a public cursing. There soon wont be anybody else left .

  37. David Avatar
    David

    Nobody is cursing Ellis, he is the best of a poor lot and we are offering feedback which he can use if he cares to. BU is on record supporting his career but we live in an incestuous society and focus will be compromised sometimes.

  38. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Artaxerxes
    …you would call for the deportation of a Trini woman???.
    …boss man…you don’t work at a bank, supermarket, business house, car place, food place, plantation or nothing so…?
    …how do you deport the owners?
    This is Owen and Prodigal’s master plan…. Import owners….
    Let the woman talk….
    The Jamaican woman does talk a lotta shiite….. 🙂
    ..she want sending home ….along with ac
    But PLEASE….don’t send home Dompey……….

  39. balance Avatar
    balance

    “Contrary to what BLP yard fowls would have us believe, the shit that the Auditor General continues to wipe up spands across the collective banners of both parties. One is six and the other is half dozen. The BLP and the DLP need to be removed from the landscape of Barbadian politics. End of discussion”
    ‘Hold it ,hold it discussion now beginning.’
    You may wish to know that the COMMENTS expressed in the Auditor General’s report spans the PERIOD APRIL 2012 TO MARCH 2013.

    “The BLP and the DLP need to be removed from the landscape of Barbadian politics. End of discussion”

    That statement might very well be true and I have consistently canvassed such under the submission” Political parties have outlived their usefulness”; but to attempt to paint both administrations with the same by trying to link the overall disastrous results of the current administration with the past performance of the BLP is at best catching at straws and should be repudiated as downright disingenuous. Never since the 1930’s have the people of Barbados had to endure such wailing and weeping and gnashing of teeth as a result of the economic damage inflicted on the nation by an incompetent administration. If you want to be fair in your commentary just post the instances where the workers of Barbadians were subject to such inhuman treatment.

  40. balance Avatar
    balance

    “yet Steve Blackett could be seen driving around in a $200,000 Audi”

    It is my understanding that If it was purchased duty free then it would only cost around $60.000.

  41. balance Avatar
    balance

    Prodigal Son | April 14, 2014 at 12:18 AM |
    “I could never understand why Barbadians are so quick to tell people who live and have a legimate right to be here….to go back to their homeland. Yet Barbadians are delighted when they hear of a Barbadian in some far off land. Why?”
    because we are short-sighted and hypocritical. Good post Prodigal.

  42. balance Avatar
    balance

    “Peter Wickham on the soap box will stay there for days and days even though sometimes the cause he is defending is more personal than anything else”
    How can you portray Mr Wickham”s views as akin to one ‘having a bee in his bonnet’ unless you are psychic. Where is the evidence to justify your subtle notion that Mr Wickham’s critiques are feathered with the brush of personal indignation.

  43. David Avatar
    David

    @Balance

    We understand your point, the DLP has more crap on them compard to the. BLP.

  44. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    Yes Balance.

    Nothing, No data, no objective feelings, nothing, supports the oft stated view on BU that the economic performance of Barbados and its Government is the same (or even remotely comparable) under this DLP and the BLP administration of the recent past. That was a carefully crafted lie that has taken wings and have the purblind repeating it ad nauseum. Even the most tangential examination of the facts underlying such statements will show conclusively that it is a massive lie.

  45. An Invisible Auditor General | Black In Barbados

    […] David However, a second driver for the interest in the performance and capacity of PACs has been the […]

  46. Hamilton Hill Avatar
    Hamilton Hill

    @ balance. ..You have taken a stance usually associated with Truthman Burton when he was with us, and to a lesser extent George Braithwaite. How do the reports from the period of 2012 differ from those of any past era? Even if clumsy in approach the point I sought to make was that wastage and downright indifference on the part of both parties cannot be denied. Not even the much reviled AC nor her husband CCC would dare dispute the fact that this is the very worst administration we have ever seen.There really is no need to remind me.

  47. balance Avatar
    balance

    “Even if clumsy in approach the point I sought to make was that wastage and downright indifference on the part of both parties cannot be denied”
    Yes, both parties are guilty of wastage with which I can empathise given the nature of our system of governance which promotes in the name of transparency untimely releases of monies from the consolidated fund and the snail like procedures in place governing contractual requirements; but where we part company Mr Hill is with the oft repeated insinuation that the BLP was indifferent in the management of the affairs of the country. Yes indeed; wastage did occur during Mr Arthur’s term in office but it was a prosperous period of governance as well.

  48. David Avatar
    David

    @balance

    In good time BLP or bad times DLP both have demonstrated fiscal indiscipline. There is no sugar coating it.

  49. newblodd Avatar
    newblodd

    I urge you to research the role of boards in secondary schools.

  50. newblodd Avatar
    newblodd

    @Caswell

    did the BLP engage in off balance sheet financing?

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