Four years after Anand Goolsarran resigned as Auditor General his successor still has not been confirmed in the post.
Following a question from this newspaper recently, acting Auditor General in the Office of the Auditor General Deodat Sharma said that the Public Service Commission has to make a recommendation for the appointment of an Auditor General to the President who would act on it.
Goolsarran had tendered a letter indicating his intention to demit office come January 20, 2005 through voluntary retirement, citing on-the-job stress and deteriorating health. Since that time Sharma has acted as Auditor General.
Public commentators, including members of the parliamentary opposition, have said that there have been noticeable differences between the two individuals when reporting on government finances, especially the Lotto funds. It is felt that Goolsarran was more forthright about the disposal of government’s share of the Lotto monies, for example, and the fact they have been placed in a special bank account for disbursement rather than in the Consolidated Fund as is required by law.
