CIG needs to respond in LA to PAC reports
Ezzard Miller in the LA (Photo by Dennie Warren Jr)
(CNS): The Legislative Assembly is not able to properly review the outcome and progress regarding the auditor general’s reports and recommendations as government is not responding to the Public Accounts Committee’s own reports on the public hearings held to examine the auditor’s findings. Ezzard Miller, the former PAC chair, said government was not following the process in its response to the committee audit reports and the recommendations are not being debated.
Miller, the independent member for North Side, said that without this final part in the process, the government is not being held to account on how it responds to the myriad and repetitive problems constantly highlighted by the Office of the Auditor General.
Given the number of reports coming from Alastair Swarbrick’s office that point over and over again to systemic problems which government constantly states it is addressing, Miller said that if the outcome of the PAC’s hearings and its subsequent recommendations were answered via a government minute, as is required in the legislative process, it would bring the reports to the floor of parliament. This, he said, would allow more scrutiny of the government’s actions regarding the reports and how it plans to stop the misuse and abuse of public cash.
The content of the OAG reports are made public via the press and aired in the PAC public hearings, Miller noted. The reports from those hearings are brought to the LA with the PAC’s findings but, he said, government does not then make any formal response.
While government usually responds directly to the publication of the OAG reports through the media, the PAC reports are rarely aired or commented on. Miller said he wants to see government responding as it should, triggering an open debate among legislators about how government can address the problems and significant challenges being uncovered by the auditor.
Miller described some of the recent reports from the auditor general as “alarming”. He said the constant repetition regarding the abuse of public funds and lack of safeguards to prevent it is not being addressed because government is not being held to account about the measures it says it is implementing to address the problems.
Over the last decade, first Dan Dougay, the former auditor general, and now Alastair Swarbrick have been undertaking value for money audits that have varied little in the concerns they raise about the government’s failure to manage and protect the public purse. Despite a constant response from government that measures are being implemented, the same issues are raised in each and every audit report that is published.
Miller said the government’s failure to follow the process and address the findings of the PAC reports directly in the LA means everyone can conveniently forget the damning content in many audits and the recommendations made to address the problem until the next report is published and the same scandalous findings are revealed.
The MLA urged the PAC to put the necessary pressure on government to respond to its reports and bring those responses to parliament, where the issues can be aired and government can be questioned about what it is doing and why it has not acted on the recommendations of the committee. He said this is why “nothing happens”, regardless of how damning the reports are, and the inadequacies across government remain.
Miller said when he made an attempt to hold chief financial officers accountable and even prosecute those who were failing in their duties as public servants, he was prevented from doing so. But because there is no accountability and no corrective action is being taken, Miller said, Cayman can continue to expect the same results from the auditor’s reports.
Category: Local News
I think we are culturally steeped in the acceptance of governmental incompetence as normal.
Just a another day in Muppet Land.
I really hope the CNS Debbie downers and moaners and complainers will all be throwing their hats in the ring for the next election. People on here complain about everything and always have a better way, how about putting some of your criticisms and better ideas into action. You all get on here and talk about new representation being needed, well put yourself forward and become the solution to all the problems you complain about every day on here. Sheesh
Is it too much to ask people in the government to stop sticking their hands in the cookie jar?
thou shall not steal.
For a Christian culture why is this so hard to obey.
Its not too much to ask, but there will always be something else people find to complain about. You run, you get elected and then you can be the honest politician for us all. Every one has a right to complain, but if you have no solutions then you are blowing hot air. I swear half the people on here use CNS as therapy.
8:34; I think there was a solution suggested; to get rid of the thieving gypsies in our LA.
Because so many churches have their hands in spiritual cookie-jar?
Can someone please remind me, with specific evidence such as a link to a media feature, as to when Mr Miller “made an attempt to hold chief financial officers accountable and even prosecute those who were failing in their duties as public servants”? I don’t mean merely sound off about it -everyone has done that -but when did he take concrete steps to do something about it? Thanks.
Use google and CNS archives you lazy muppet!
What did your last slave die from? Taking care of frivolous nincompoop requests like this from you?
I clearly remember reading about the uproar from Chief Officers in the Compass and on CNS when Miller was the chair of PAC and warned two of them he was going to seek prosecution for their failure to answer questions and account for their expenditure.
Take your head out of your a** and stop being a pitiful Miller heater. I do not always agree with him, but he is dead right this time.
If Alden had not been so petty, and put him back in charge of PAC, I think he would have straightened it out, at least he is not a rubber stamp.
Bet you na hear anything about holding politicians accountable for the wasting of government money though. Therein lies the problem. Politicians should set policy and goals and not be involved in the process and spending, because in the end it is the bullied civil servant who pays the price.
No elected government wants things to change or understands what transparency and accountability really means. Implementing recommendations is too much work that will negatively impact key personnel and political supporters. There are many cover ups and people doing favors for one another at the highest levels so individuals (friends and lodge members) are protected from getting exposed for professional incompetence. In fact, neither Deputy Governor Franz Manderson or the Premier truly want change in the system of governance because if they did, things would be different from at least two years ago when the new government took charge.
Here here, I’ve always said, it starts at the top and it starts with the culture
All Seeing Eye you obviously need glasses. We are constantly being advised that there has been tremendous impovement on the government financial statements with two ministers this year received unqualified opinions for the first time. ….Please get a few facts before commenting.
See attached links with some interesting reports which represent just the facts please
http://www.auditorgeneral.gov.ky/financialauditandgenerareports
https://caymannewsservice.com/2015/01/still-no-sign-clean-full-government-audit/
https://caymannewsservice.com/2015/07/auditors-offer-reality-check-on-ministry-boast/
The issues about the lack of quality information and the lack of Audited Consolidated Financial Statements for CIG since 2004 are highlighted in multiple AG financial audit reports. I encourage persons take the time to read them. These are concerns that have been expressed for several years by Mr. Swarbrick and his predecessor Mr. Duguay.
SMH. You probably believe in Father Christmas and everything we’re told by politicians and the church
Peter – “There are none so deaf as those that will not hear. None so blind as those that will not see.”
Smart comment All seeing Eye …..but the facts speak for themselves. History is being made in the civil service as more and more financial statements are being audited and given clean opinions. Let’s see if you will take back those comments about the premier and the deputy governor when the AG releases his 13/14 report.
2 opinions from how many outstanding Financials, 60? You call that progress?
Sounds like Peter is a Puppet or easily impressed
There are no financial statements outstanding …..are you all just making this stuff up. All financial statements have been submitted on time since 2011. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz
Tim submitting poor quality financials is not the solution or good enough. Read the multiple AG reports on the issue of Financial audits.
See attached links with some interesting reports which represent just the facts
http://www.auditorgeneral.gov.ky/financialauditandgenerareports
https://caymannewsservice.com/2015/01/still-no-sign-clean-full-government-audit/
https://caymannewsservice.com/2015/07/auditors-offer-reality-check-on-ministry-boast/
The issues about the lack of quality information and the lack of Audited Consolidated Financial Statements for CIG since 2004 are highlighted in multiple AG financial audit reports. I encourage persons take the time to read them. These are concerns that have been expressed for several years by Mr. Swarbrick and his predecessor Mr. Duguay.
what about aldens response to the HRC?
never ending incompetence with CIG……
Ezzard Miller in sensible comment shock.
Well I suppose even a stopped clock is right occasionally
Good luck on that…
Don’t recall the member for North Side doing any better when he was PAC chair…