Finance Ministry Hosts Audit Committees’ Conference on January 21

The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, in collaboration with the Office of the Cabinet, will host a Government of Jamaica (GOJ) Audit Committees’ Conference on Wednesday, January 21, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

To be held under the theme ‘Governance in Action: Strengthening Trust, Risk Oversight and Resilience’, the conference will bring together audit committee members and public-sector leaders to strengthen governance and oversight across Central Government.

The conference was previously scheduled for October 2025 but was postponed due to the impact of Hurricane Melissa.

Senior Director for the Internal Audit Directorate at the Ministry, Suzette Campbell, said the conference is part of a continued effort to improve governance in the public sector.

“Each year, the aim is to strengthen audit committees’ capacity and bring awareness to key areas affecting governance, risk and control. This year seeks to provide insights on how committees can strengthen trust, risk oversight and resilience,” she noted.

Ms. Campbell said the theme reflects public expectations for transparency, accountability and effective service delivery.

“The public sector is service-driven, and strengthening trust, risk oversight and resilience increase stakeholders’ confidence in public services,” she argued, noting that audit committees play a vital role in enforcing transparency and accountability.

Ms. Campbell explained that audit committees reinforce trust through their response to internal audit findings.

“When weaknesses that erode trust and accountability are uncovered, audit committees must ensure management takes swift action to address them. That response sets the tone for sound corporate governance,” she said.

The conference will address both traditional and emerging risks, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), enterprise risk management and resilience in governance.

Sessions will examine resilience as a governance priority, the growing impact of AI and cybersecurity on audit oversight, and how strategic and operational risks can be better managed through enterprise risk management.

Discussions will also highlight transparency as a cornerstone of good governance.
Ms. Campbell said audit committees must remain knowledgeable and adaptable in the face of changing global and local risks.
“Effectiveness requires staying aware of the business environment and major risks. Conferences like this, along with ongoing training and engagement with senior management, help committees remain effective,” she continued.

The conference will also highlight changes to the Institute of Internal Auditors Standards, including updates to the Quality Assurance and Improvement Programme, aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of internal audit work.

Technology will also be in focus, with discussions on tools that improve audit effectiveness and coverage.

Ms. Campbell said systems such as ACL and Teammate support stronger data analysis and workflow automation, while efforts continue to build skills in some audit units to fully utilise these tools.

The partnership between the Ministry and the Office of the Cabinet strengthens the conference, she said, noting the Cabinet Secretary’s role in appointing audit committees.

“The Cabinet Secretary’s endorsement and participation underscore the importance of audit committees in government,” Ms. Campbell said.

The conference will be held in a hybrid format, with in-person attendance at The Pegasus and virtual participation.

It is primarily targeted at audit committee members in Central Government but others interested in governance, enterprise risk management, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and internal audit may attend online.

Following the conference, discussions that point to practical solutions will be prioritised by the Internal Audit Directorate and, where necessary, escalated to the appropriate authorities.