PHILIPSBURG--"Despite the growing pains inherent to any beginning, the General Audit Chamber has been able to make inroads in terms of making its presence known to Government and Parliament, and commencing the work towards operational activities," states Audit Chamber Chairman Roland Tuitt in the Annual Report 2010 made public on Tuesday.
"In fact, the experience of the challenges related to starting the institution is shared with many parts of the public organisation, and as such has provided the General Audit Chamber with insight into areas and topics that require improvement and change," he added.
To be able to achieve a fully functional status, the Audit Chamber has to complete a number of priority activities in the near future. "The regulations prescribed by the national ordinance for the General Audit Chamber need to be finalised soonest," he said. The Audit Chamber will prepare the requisite drafts with the assistance of a legal expert and will make these drafts available to government for ratification and publication, according to the report.
Drafts that are required and that will be sent to government include the regulation regarding the Secretary General (article 4 sub 2) and the regulation of conditions of employment for personnel (article 13 sub 2), both of which need to be approved by national resolution; the regulation of the remuneration of the members of the board (article 8 sub 4), the regulation for the organisation, and the secretariat, to be approved by national resolution on general measures; and the publication of the Rules of Order of the General Audit Chamber (article 14).
In the absence of the required regulations, the Audit Chamber will be "severely hampered" in a formal sense in its operation. "Failure to achieve the proper legal framework for the General Audit Chamber will have further implications; for example, the evaluation of the progress and readiness of the organisation of the Country St. Maarten."
The lack of the requisite regulations for personnel, as prescribed by the national ordinance, has resulted in the temporary placement of the Audit Chamber's Secretary General Joane Dovale-Meit, as she is employed by government.
Based on article 13, sub I of the national ordinance, the remaining candidates identified to fill posts within the Audit Chamber could be employed via contract, a process that will be finalised in 2011.
A formal budget for the Audit Chamber was not prepared in 2010. Its establishment and operations were guided by the implementation plan for the institution that was developed previously by the Island Government.
This plan foresaw basic operational activities, including housing (lease), utilities and the like. In addition, a programme to assist in the completion of operational development of the General Audit Chamber was being finalised using Dutch development aid.
Normal operations of the General Audit Chamber will be funded via the government's budget in the future, as development aid is not a structural funding source.
To guide the operations for the coming years, the Audit Chamber will prepare an annual plan 2011-2012. This plan will include the necessary activities for the completion of the institutional development of the Audit Chamber, including preparation of the essential business process, drafting of guidelines for the execution of audits, implementation of the requisite office infrastructure, recruitment and training of personnel, and communication plans.
In addition, the selection criteria required to choose and prepare audits will be included. The Audit Chamber's goal will be to strengthen the skills, competencies and functioning of the public financial sector by means of its selection of audit themes.
As an autonomous institution, the Audit Chamber intends to "professionally execute the tasks prescribed by law, though working to foster the relationship with both Parliament and Government."
According to the report, the board and secretariat "look positively" to the future and the endeavours on which the institution will embark to fulfil its role as a state council.
"Government must try in every way possible to operate in a manner that is transparent. In executing its task as set forth in the Constitution and in keeping with its mission statement, the General Audit Chamber intends to contribute to the effectiveness, efficiency and transparency of the public finance.
"This contribution will require fostering cooperative relationships with, among others, Parliament, Government and other entities responsible for the improvement of financial accountability of the country."
The Audit Chamber has as its primary task to audit government and in so doing contribute to the effectiveness, transparency and improvement of government. By law the Audit Chamber is required to examine the financial and material management of the government in the broadest sense of the word.
In addition, the Audit Chamber is authorised to carry out investigations in terms of the integrity of members of government and civil servants regarding the execution of their tasks and authorities, independently or on request of Parliament.
Results, conclusions and recommendations from the investigations carried out by the General Audit Chamber regarding the organisation, management and policy of government are presented to government, Parliament and generally also to the public.
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