Some thoughts for the newly appointed Public Accounts Committee

The essential fact is this Committee is a Committee of the House responsible to the House as a whole, and is not a battleground for party faction…I believe it is true to say that the authority of the Committee is greatly enhanced by its unanimous character and I hope the complete objectivity of its report. It is fair to say that many Honourable Members of both parties have made great endeavours and have sometimes sacrificed personal views to ensure that this shall be so.  

                   Sir Harold Wilson, former British Prime

                   Minister & Chair of the UK PAC 

Last week, Parliament Office announced the appointment of members of 14 Standing Committees of the National Assembly, including two important committees, namely, the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Constitutional Reform; and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Both committees have urgent tasks ahead of them. In relation to the former, considering the events that took place since the 21 December 2018 vote of no confidence as well as the requirement for local government elections to be held next year, it is imperative for the Elections Commission to be reformed to make it a truly independent, autonomous and impartial body.