PAC returns with CPA chair as anticipated witness

Ezzard Miller, Chair of Public Accounts Committee

(CNS): The Public Accounts Committee resumed Wednesday morning with the committee members scheduled to question the chair of the Central Planning Authority, Al Thompson, and the chief officer in the planning ministry, Alan Jones. The committee is still scrutinising a number of recently published audit reports, including one pointing to some serious and historic failings in government regarding its planning policies and the development of land, both public and private.

The PAC, chaired Ezzard Miller, is expected to quiz Thompson over the closed-door meetings he presides over and the long-standing concerns that the CPA all too often ignores technical and specialist advice from government agencies in favour of private sector developers. Jones is expected to face criticisms over the failure of government to follow its own laws, in particular the failure to review and update the current development plan.

The committee is expected to sit until the end of the week to complete its questioning of the witnesses before reporting back to the Legislative Assembly. Miller has said that he will be pressing government to respond to the PAC’s findings with a government minute, as required by law, to ensure that politicians will debate the reports and offer solutions.

The proceedings are taking place at the Legislative Assembly and are open to the public. The reports under scrutiny include the National Land Development and Government Real Property, the Management of the Nation Building Programme, Financial and Performance Reporting: Entire Public Sector, Financial and Performance Reporting: Statutory Authorities and Government Companies, Financial and Performance Reporting: Ministries, Portfolios and Offices, Collecting Government Revenues, Government IT Security, and Government Programmes Supporting Those in Need.