Role of Supreme Audit Institutions Underscored

Auditor General, Pamela Monroe Ellis, says Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) have a “fundamental role” to play in monitoring the climate-change activities of government, but must be enabled to do so through capacity development.

SAIs are public bodies that audit government revenue and expenditure.

Mrs. Ellis explained that for government to be effectively held accountable for their stewardship of public funds and ensure transparency of operations, the onus is on SAIs to build capacity by undertaking and enrolling in tailored and specialised learning and development programmes.

“This task entrusted to us is not easy to accomplish because of the challenges facing many SAIs. It’s difficult for many SAIs to garner the necessary financial support to provide support to their professional development initiatives,” she said.

The Auditor General was speaking during the opening session of the meeting of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Capacity Building Committee (CBC), the INTOSAI-Donor Cooperation (IDC) and MOSAIC, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Tuesday (June 20).

Mrs. Ellis informed that the effectiveness of the SAI community in the developing world depends on the work of the IDC, the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI), the CBC and the donors as sources for training and development activities.

Under the theme ‘Partnering for Stronger Supreme Audit Institutions and Enhanced Public Financial Management’, the meeting brought together INTOSAI members and other key stakeholders to discuss and deliberate on ways SAIs can maximise their capacity development and professional capabilities.

The meeting also focused on possible solutions that can be utilised to address development and quality management issues in the region.

“At [Tuesday’s] closed session, there was agreement on key action items to enhance the capacity of SAIs. The next couple of days promise to be equally productive, and I expect that the resultant decisions will be equally impactful,” Mrs. Ellis disclosed.

In her remarks, Financial Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Darlene Morrison, noted that the theme demonstrates commitment to ensuring that capacity development plans are sustainable and relevant to the needs of the public sector.

“The theme is also fitting because it recognises the importance of auditors general in enhancing the various reform initiatives that seek to improve public financial management,” Ms. Morrison said.

She highlighted that in recent years, the Government has undertaken actions to institutionalise key public financial management enhancements, which include bolstering the fiscal responsibility framework with stronger fiscal rules and restructuring of the Accountant General’s Department and prioritising its continued transformation to a modern treasury.

Ms. Morrison further shared that the Government has also reorganised the debt management function in the Finance Ministry, in line with international norms, implemented a public investment management system as well as critical upgrades to the central treasury management system.

The Financial Secretary charged SAI representatives to consider context and impact as they generate new initiatives and share ideas about upskilling and expanding capabilities.