Anand Goolsarran

Today is Budget Day. The year 2019 would mark the fourth year for which the national budget is presented to and approved by the National Assembly before the year begins.

In our last two columns, we discussed three aspects of the 2017 Auditor General’s report, namely:  overall opinion given on the country’s accounts which we felt was not supported by adequate audit evidence; the Executive Summary which did not appear to capture the essence of the report; and the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Government.

Last week, we began a discussion of the 2017 Auditor General’s report.

The Auditor General completed his audit of the Government’s accounts for the year ended 31 December 2017.

The debate on conflict of interest has once again surfaced in the news.

If corruption is a disease, transparency is an essential part of its treatment.

On 18 September 2017, the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) received a request from the political opposition to investigate the award of the contract to LievenseCSO for the conduct of a feasibility study and design of the proposed New Demerara Bridge.

We had refrained from any commentary on the recent incident involving a sitting Minister of the Government, to allow for the police to carry out their investigation.

Last week, we began a discussion on the article published in the New York Times on 20 July 2018 under the caption “The $20 Billion Question for Guyana”.

The article dated 20 July 2018 appearing in the New York Times under the caption “The $20 Billion Question for Guyana” has generated quite a reaction locally for its portrayal of what most Guyanese would consider an unfair assessment of the state of affairs of Guyana and of its peoples.

Over the last two weeks or so, the print media have been carrying reports of another apparent irregularity in the procurement of drugs and medical supplies at the Ministry of Public Health.

The Berbice Bridge Company Inc. (BBCI) featured prominently in last week’s news, following a media briefing by board officials at which the urgent need for the approval of increases in toll fees for vehicles and vessels using the Bridge, was highlighted.

Two weeks ago, the police in Malaysia raided 12 properties linked to former Prime Minister Najib Razak in a money-laundering investigation.

On 26 June 2018, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) issued a media release under the caption ‘CCJ Rules Two Terms only for Presidents of Guyana’.

Last week, we discussed the concept of Public Private Partnerships (P3s) by providing a broad perspective of what a P3 arrangement is about; how it differs from privatization; the rationale for entering into P3 arrangements; its advantages and disadvantages; and the various models of P3s.

Introduction Last week, we discussed the Privatisation Policy Framework Paper that was prepared in 1993 to guide the privatization that the Government had embarked on in 1988 as part of the Economic Recovery Programme entered into with International Monetary Fund.

Last week, we discussed the End of Year report for 2017, prepared by the Ministry of Finance.

Anyone who wants to tackle corruption must be willing to go all the way.

In our column of 6 May 2018, we emphasised the importance of procurement planning and highlighted the key factors contributing to leakages in our procurement system.

Last Wednesday’s lead article in the Guyana Times newspaper carried the headline “NICIL under APNU/AFC Govt still retains billions in dividends – source”.