Do your jobs without fear or pressure – GG
SIR PATRICK Allen, governor general of Jamaica, has urged auditors general in the Caribbean to do their best to ensure that their jobs are done without fear or pressure.
Giving the keynote address at the Caribbean Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions 30th anniversary conference, Allen said that despite the criticisms and challenges they sometimes faced in executing their duties, they should rise above the hurdles.
“Government auditors, and justifiably so, have always regarded themselves as purveyors of ethics, morality, integrity, and transparency. At all times, auditors have to remember that they should not allow themselves to be pressured to violate ethical principles to achieve either a personal or organisational gain,” he told the gathering at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston yesterday.
“Auditors sometimes walk a tight rope between being fearless or foolish but never to abuse their power. There should always be objective, reliable, and factual evidence, while operating within the prescribed law, policies, and operations.”
The governor general also noted that ethics should be the hallmark of any office in ensuring that there is integrity and justice.
“A question we need to ask ourselves is, if we paid attention to developing good values, would our attitudes to corruption and other negative social behaviours change? Ethics is the code that governs people’s actions so that they will do the right thing,” he said,
“Exercising discretion and the use of information acquired, objectivity, high standards of behaviour in accordance with technical and professional requirements are all important elements. I encourage you to continue demonstrating and promoting excellence at all levels of your work and organisations.”