Jamaica’s Integrity Fee (IC) has expressed ongoing concern concerning some parliamentarians who seem to exhibit a big lack of awareness or understanding of the legal guidelines they’re elected to create. The IC highlighted the significance of lawmakers being well-informed concerning the laws they draft, emphasizing {that a} strong grasp of authorized frameworks is essential for efficient governance and public accountability.
“It is usually apparent that some parliamentarians don’t learn the stories of the Integrity Fee which can be routinely tabled within the Home of Representatives,” learn the assertion from the IC.
This assertion got here after Member of Parliament for St Catherine South West Everald Warmington, who has been a member of the Integrity Commission Oversight Committee for the previous 4 years declared that he has by no means seen an audit of the IC tabled in Parliament, but the company was spending taxpayers’ cash.
“When are we going to see audits of that division through the years? There isn’t any means we’re going to approve one other $2 billion for a division that has not been audited for years”.
He even warned that if the audit was not tabled by March 2025, he wouldn’t enable the Parliament to log off on allocations for the operating of the company.
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Finance and the Public Service Minister Dr Nigel Clarke, who was fielding questions from lawmakers through the sitting of the Standing Finance Committee of the Home of Representatives on Tuesday, stated no affordable particular person may “object to your (Warmington’s) requirement”.
The Integrity Fee (IC) responded to statements made by Warmington, clarifying that the fee’s accounting and monetary affairs have been audited yearly since its institution. The IC emphasised that these audits have persistently been performed by an impartial exterior auditor, whose appointment has obtained written approval from the finance minister.
The fee famous that these audits adjust to Part 20(1) of the Integrity Fee Act, which mandates that “the fee shall hold correct accounts of its receipts, funds, property, and liabilities, and such accounts shall be audited yearly by an auditor appointed every year by the fee with the approval of the minister of finance.” This reiteration underscores the IC’s dedication to transparency and accountability in its monetary operations.
The monetary statements, as at March 2024, point out that the audit was performed by SFAI Jamaica, C.R. Hylton & Firm, chartered accountants.
“In our opinion, the accompanying monetary statements give a real and honest view of the monetary place of the fee as at March 31, 2024, and of its monetary efficiency and money flows for the 12 months then resulted in accordance with Worldwide Monetary Reporting Requirements (IFRS),” the impartial exterior auditors acknowledged.
Within the six years for the reason that institution of Jamaica’s single anti-corruption physique, the Integrity Fee (IC), its audited monetary statements have been persistently submitted and tabled in Parliament as a part of the company’s annual report.
