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Gov’t. forms audit committee
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Posted on May 19 1999
Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has created the Interagency Coordinating Advisory Group in yet another effort to boost the implementation of recommendations put forward by the Public Auditor’s Office.
The Coordinating Group was put in place to review all the audit reports prepared by OPA and carry out recommendations. Part of its task is to determine if there is a need to amend existing laws to strengthen compliance of the regulations.
Recently the Coordinating Group, led by the Department of Finance, met to track the audit recommendations and findings of OPA, according to the governor’s advisor on budget and finance, Michael. S. Sablan.
“Many recommendations are pending and need to be resolved,” Sablan said.
In its 1998 annual report, Public Auditor Leo L. LaMotte underscored the need to tighten enforcement of regulations, specifically the procurement rules, to curb waste of public funds.
The report says more than $15 million in government money have either been wasted or lost in several irregular deals during the past administration.
However, only close to $1 million in overpayment or improper payment could be recovered, according to the report.
Much of the audit and investigation by OPA showed that non-compliance to procurement regulations remain a major problem and has led to losses of significant amounts of public funds, LaMotte said.
“Procurement involves millions of dollars. Careful procurement can save our cash-strapped government significant amounts of funds,” he said in the report.
Other areas which the OPA says require immediate attention to avoid abuse by government workers are the use of taxpayer-provided vehicles, time and attendance and reimbursements.
OPA’s report was also made one of the bases for several recommendations prepared by the Inspector General that sought, among other things, the prosecution of former CNMI officials who were found to have allegedly misused public funds.
