The National Elections in August last year has been blamed for the lateness of the Auditor General’s report, which is now to be presented to the Speaker of the National Assembly in March. The deadline was September 15 last year. Acting Auditor General Deodat Sharma told this newspaper last week that the report is in the final stages of preparation and that the accounting officers from the various agencies are still to submit information. But he is confident that the report will be ready for March.

He said that in addition to National Elections, staff constraints led to the delay in the presentation of the report.

In March of 2006, Sharma presented the report for the year 2004 and had blamed the delay on staff constraints. Sharma is yet to be confirmed to the post he took up after the departure of Anand Goolsarran at the end of 2004 for a United Nations appointment.