Norton writes Auditor General for probe of spending on public sector projects
Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton has written to Auditor General, Deodat Sharma calling for an investigation into spending on a series of public sector projects.
In a letter dated February 22nd, Norton said: “We have received numerous complaints from Guyanese citizens regarding the distribution of cash grants, as well as the utilization of funds allocated to various capital expenditure projects. In light of these concerns, we respectfully request that the Office of the Auditor General conduct audits to ensure transparency, accountability and adherence to financial laws”.
He said that many persons have expressed concern about the arbitrary manner of the distribution of cash grants and the absence of a paper trail.
“In the circumstance, it is imperative that the criteria used for the distribution of these grants be ascertained, and that the list of recipients be verified to confirm that they indeed met the established criteria”, Norton wrote.
The Opposition Leader also made a request for audits of specific capital expenditure projects for the year 2023. In this regard he said a request is being made for the audit of project code 1702300 – Men on Mission Programme under the Office of the President.
The request is being made to ensure that the allocated funds were spent in accordance with the existing financial regulations, he said.
In addition, a request has also been made for the audit of project codes 1302200 – Community Infrastructure Improvement Project and 1904300 – Regional Economic Transformation which is executed under the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.
Norton added that concerns have also been raised regarding the selection process of National Pathway Workers and the incomplete status of various markets funded under these projects. In the circumstances, an audit is also being sought in relation to this Programme.
An audit is also being requested of the criteria for awarding grants under the Sustainable Livelihood Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) programme which is part of the Regional Economic Transformation project. The objective is to determine whether selections were done based on a fair, transparent and accountable process.
An audit of the Small Business Development Fund under the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce is also being sought.
“It is hoped that such an audit will reveal the methodology used in evaluating the recipients and to also evaluate the measures used to determine if there is value for money since small businesses play a critical role in our economy, and it is essential that funds allocated to support their development are allocated efficiently and utilized effectively”, Norton said.
Project code 1214800 - Government Buildings under the Ministry of Public Works is another Programme Norton requested an audit for.
“Despite significant expenditures, there is no visible progress on the construction of the office complex. This audit is necessary to ascertain the reasons for the delay and ensure transparency and accountability in the utilization of the allocated funds”, Norton said.
He added: “The sole purpose of these requests is to promote accountability and transparency in our society, particularly in the management of public finances”.