OAG still seeking public input
(CNS): With less than four weeks to go before the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) closes the public consultation period on its proposed three year audit plan,the auditor general has urged the Cayman people to offer their input before the 31 August deadline and help shape the government watchdog’s agenda. The office has listed a number of subject areas it proposes to address, from broad subjects such as how government manages human resources, to the collection of fees and taxes, as well as more specific areas such as whether or not the ForCayman Investment Alliance, a proposed deal with the Dart Group, offers value for money.
The OAG said it was keen to hear more from members of the public as soon as possible about what they believe are the priorities and whether the office has neglected particular areas of public interest.
"I am pleased with the input we have received so far from the public and members of the Cayman Islands public service,” said Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick. “I continue to encourage everyone to come forth with their ideas for audits based on their personal experience with the government operations. With limited resources available to my Office, it is critical we focus our audit efforts on those areas that will provide the greatest benefit to our Legislators."
He explained that the public’s views will help ensure that the OAG’s work is broad and balanced, focuses on where it can have the most impact and is responsive to the concerns of stakeholders.
“Our focus continues to be on value for money — economy, efficiency, effectiveness — and on governance and accountability,” he added.
The topics that the office has suggested are based on the OAG’s preliminary assessment of significance and risk across government operations, and consideration of those areas where it believes the office could have the greatest impact and added value.
“Your views on the topics and their priority are important to ensure these are the right areas that we should be concentrating on or if there are others in which we could have greater impact and added value,” Swarbrick said, as he appealed to the wider public to come forward before the end of the month.
The consultation will run until 31 August 2013 and feedback can be provided by either emailing auditorgeneral@oag.gov.ky or writing to the Auditor General at PO Box 2583, Grand Cayman KY1-1103, CAYMAN ISLANDS.
The paper is available in PDF format at www.auditorgeneral.gov.ky. More information can be obtained by contacting Martin Ruben at the OAG at (345)244-3206.
Category: Local News
The OAG, should check all the people in the CS that are on medical/workmens comp and collecting large checks — do they now work or own business in the private sector — they should be required to to recertify at least every 2 years — if found to be working –why can't they do the job they where hired to do in the CS– ( serious illness excluded )
Lets start with the For Cayman Alliance deal and then the Nation Building Fund. Don't forget the Stan Thomas deal, the Boatswaine Beach Fiasco and then the Port Deal. We are still awaiting answers.
I regret I am a little sceptical of the motives of Auditor Generals over the years and I go back as far as Nick Treen. The post is absolutely vital; no doubt about that. But the people we appoint here tend to grow audit balls they never had or were allowed to have in their previous postings in foreign countries. This comment is true of Treen's successor Nigel Esdaile, Esdaile's successor, Dan Dugay and now I think Swarbrick is slipping into it too. They come to like the oxygen of the press and since CNS and local TV came on the scene, they have become masters of the scourge of Government and the lauding of the Audit Office and Auditor General as the saviours of Cayman. I know I will get multiple thumbs down for this opinion but looking at Swarbrick's program, I can't help thinking that he is looking at things -eg the PSML – that he knows (like his comments on the PMFL) will please people who are pissed with this legislation, while many of us with a long term -and I mean long term- knowledge of the whole of government service would like him to focus more on statutory authorities and government owned companies and the outrageous salaries (Stock Exchange, Monetary Authority, Civil Aviation, Maritime Authority) and conditions that are in place in some of them, the unethical (and sometimes corrupt) conduct of managers and other governance issues much less sexy than slamming laws he and others don't like. Targetting the low hanging fruit on the tree is a cheap trick, Mr Swarbrick.
Oh give a rest you idiot. Some of you love this hegemony that run this little place. So unnah can hide the dirt and criminal behavior that goes on here already i see some in our "Gowerment" trying to curtail his budget so as to get wiggle room for unah under handing methods and efforts as for this little epistle you got written here and the sarcastic and cowardly manner in which you try to hide your true contempt and attempt to attack the man and his office. It will tell you this I trust this man and his office more than any other office of this corruption riddle government and the spineless leaders who run it. Go sit down and one more thing the reason the press or media has to be engaged is because we simply cannot trust or so called leaders to act or do the right thing.
How many "e"s in "heejut", 11:10?
I agree 100% with most of what you say, 18:53, (I thought I was the only one thinking that way), but I think your last sentence is a bit unfair to Mr Swarbrick.
Mr Swarbrick, with all due respect, these are just words. You are implying that a framework has been put in place to protect the taxpayer, yet those in control of the purse strings flaunt blatant disregard for transparency and accountability. Until you can bring about a meaningful prosecution of the abuse of public funds, your words will remain as just words.
One of the reasons that corrupt individuals are able to get away with their dodgy behaviour is incompetent bookkeeping.
Improving the bookkeeping records will make it harder for the corrupt ones to cover their tracks.
Good bookkeeping is not a magic bullet that will cure everything; rather it is an extremely important and necessary part of the overall cure.
The Auditor General's efforts must be whole heartedly supported.
I am not sure the book keeping is incompetent, more like it is deliberately incompetent so no one can unravel it..