Public can access forensic audit reports

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Georgetown : The findings of the forensic audits into the operations of several key state agencies will be made accessible to the public through the Ministry of Finance’s website, finance.gov.gy

Four reports can currently be accessed on the website and Minister of Finance Winston Jordon said that the Ministry will continue to facilitate access to more of the documents as soon as they are read and deliberated upon by Cabinet.

The decision to make the documents available on the Ministry’s website is part of a new mandate of improving access to information and making information available, Minister Jordan said.

He explained that in addition to a new revamped website, the public can now expect to access more information that they could in the past. “My motto is to give as much information as possible because I not afraid of criticism,” the Minister said, adding that, “criticisms are healthy, once they are constructive and are not only about destroying.”

The push to have more information available to the public is also seeing a focus on supplying a monthly review of the economy. There are currently, two reviews on the website even as a third is being developed.

Minister Jordan said that the hope is to move towards having quarterly information available as well.

Government in May of 2015 began a series of forensic audits to ascertain how the assets of the State were sold, disposed of or transferred during the previous administration.

Some 45 forensic audits were funded at a cost of $133M, and an additional five audits by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

To date 32 of these audits have been completed and 23 have been submitted to cabinet, Minister Jordan said.

The Junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma  had recently stated that the revelations of some of the forensic audits thus far vindicate the concerns the APNU+AFC regarding the lack of accountability under the previous administration.