Findings of D’Urban Park probe among included in latest Auditor General’s report

Auditor General (AG) Deodat Sharma yesterday handed over his report on the public accounts for the 2017 fiscal year to House Speaker Dr. Barton Scotland and included in it are the findings of a special investigation into the controversial billion-dollar D’Urban Park Development Project.

“You will have to wait on this report,” Sharma said when asked for an update on that investigation moments after handing over the report yesterday at the Public Buildings. Given that the report has to be first laid in the National Assembly before its contents are made public, Sharma could not divulge any more information.

This development came one day after Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson urged the media to question Sharma’s delay in making public the report on the ministry’s spending on the project.

It was as a result of endless questions surrounding the spending associated with the venture, which began soon after the APNU+AFC coalition government took office in May, 2015, that the Office of the Auditor General commenced a special audit.

In November of 2015, then Governance Minister Raphael Trotman had announced that Cabinet had given the go ahead for contracts for the transformation of D’Urban Park into a “Green Zone Recreational Park,” in time for Guyana’s 50th anniversary celebrations the following year.

It was around this time that Larry London was linked to the project.

London was subsequently revealed to be a part owner of Homestretch Development Inc (HDI), the company that started the project. It was later learnt that then Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine was also a director of HDI. President David Granger had defended his involvement with the company, saying that the minister’s role was only to represent the government’s interest.

From all indications, HDI, through donations both from local persons and those in the diaspora, commenced work at the site in September, 2015, about two months before government officially announced what was happening there.

Over $1.3 billion has been spent on the project – a large parade ground with wooden stands – and despite this, the National Assembly has been asked to approve millions in extra-budgetary spending to meet additional costs.

Patterson’s Ministry has provided some information. Sharma had said at one point that HDI had not responded to his request for information. It is unclear if the company subsequently did.

Working to get all

Sharma yesterday told reporters that among the backlog of entities to be audited are a large percentage of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), the municipalities, the Guyana Post Office Corporation and several unions. “So we are working to get all… but I can’t do it unless they submit their financial statement and that is the biggest problem we have had,” he said, before adding that he nor his office cannot take action in such situations as it is not catered for in the Audit Act.

At the simple presentation, Sharma said that it was his 14th report, while holding the post and the 8th consecutive occasion that the Audit Office has been submitting its reports by the statutory deadline of September 30th.

The report pertains to the Public Accounts of Guyana and on the Accounts of Ministries, Departments and Regions for the Fiscal year ended December 31st, 2017.

He noted that as the supreme audit institution, the office continues to improve its operations by having up-to-date and internationally accepted auditing standards and methodologies, efficient and effective Operational and Human Resource management structures and modern IT infrastructure techniques and tools. All these, he said, were made possible by the Government of Guyana, as well as donors and partners.

Sharma noted that the office continues to strengthen its infrastructure, capacity and capabilities, and has fostered the sharing of information in an efficient and costeffective manner.

He also noted that the office has implemented the use of the Audit Management Software ‘TEAMATE,’ which will guide the staff towards a paperless environment.

Meanwhile, Scotland reminded that the report cannot be made public without first being laid in Parliament. He noted that the first sitting will be scheduled after the current recess ends on October 10th.

He used the occasion to stress that the work of the Auditor General is integral to the management and scrutiny of resources which are made available to government. He also noted that the Auditor General’s office is an independent one and it is important to note its protection in the performance of its duties so that all understand that the work is “not subject to direction or dictation.”

The report, he said, is of importance in relation to Parliament’s treatment of the budget and the scrutiny of resources.

PPP/C MP Nigel Dharamlall, who represented Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Irfaan Ali, said in his brief remarks that the AG and his staff should be commended for handing in the report on time.

He stressed that such a report is an important element as it is critical to good governance and specifically public accountability and transparency. He expressed hope that many of the issues which seem to affect public officers in the conduct of their duties relating to the public purse were dealt with “this time around.”

He also noted that there have been instances over the years of “repeat offenders,” sometimes through no fault of their own. “I think it is importance for us to understand the confines and the context within which our public officers work. It is a difficult undertaking,” he said.

Later commenting on this, Sharma said that there has been a noticeable improvement in this area. “The staff have actually been going out and doing the physical inspection of the work before they make the payment. That’s what was causing overpayment and they are actually now paying closer attention to that,” he said, while adding that he could not speak directly to the issue as the report is not yet before the Parliament.

Additionally, he pointed out that his office no longer had a difficulty getting information from accounting officers as they have been “cooperating fully.”

Among those present for the handing over was government MP and member of the PAC, Jermaine Figueira, Finance Secretary Hector Butts and Accountant General Jennifer Chapman.