Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton has asked Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, to launch an investigation into the various Government cash grant programmes, as well as a probe of the spending of the President’s Men on Mission initiative.
In a letter to the Auditor General, Mr. Norton said the Opposition has received numerous complaints from Guyanese citizens regarding the distribution of cash grants, as well as the utilization of funds allocated to various capital expenditure projects.
In light of the concerns, the Opposition wants the Office of the Auditor General to conduct audits to ensure transparency, accountability, and adherence to financial laws.
“Many persons have expressed concern regarding the distribution of cash grants. They have noted the arbitrary manner in which they were allocated and the absence of a proper paper trail since they are delivered in cash. In the circumstance, it is imperative that the criteria used for the distribution of these grants be ascertained, and that the list of recipients be verified to confirm that they indeed met the established criteria,” Mr. Norton said in his letter to the Auditor General.
Since the government took office, it has embarked on a number of cash-grant initiatives targeting various sectors and vulnerable groups. However, there has been concern that there is no proper accountability system in place, as cash in envelopes would usually be handed out to recipients of the grants.
In his letter, Mr. Norton told the Auditor General that the audit would be crucial to determine whether the distribution process was fair, equitable, transparent, accountable and undertaken in accordance with the law.
The Opposition Leader has also asked the AG to probe specific capital expenditure projects for 2023. He made a request for the audit of the Men on a Mission Programme under the Office of the President. The request, he said is being made to ensure that the allocated funds were spent in compliance with the existing financial regulations.
“As you are no doubt aware, the Audit Office has a critical role to play in safeguarding taxpayer’s funds and ensuring that they are spent prudently and in accordance with the law. The Opposition trust that your office will give due consideration to our requests and take appropriate action to address these concerns,” Mr. Norton told the Auditor General.
An audit has also been requested to investigate the criteria for awarding grants under the SLED Programme, which falls under the Small Business Development Fund and the Ministry of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce.
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