Does the Government plan to have a tribunal appointed to investigate and remove the Auditor General?
That was the question posed by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar to the Prime Minister last night (Monday 20th May 2024), as she addressed a UNC meeting in Siparia, to launch its campaign for the Quinam-Morne Diablo and Lengua Indian Walk by-elections on June 17.
Persad-Bissessar, noting articles that the Auditor General’s original report will be laid in Parliament “at the earliest opportunity”, revealed the report would be presented on Friday.
Regarding the Finance Minister’s statements that the ministry would provide the Auditor General with the documents required to do a special report on the accounts by August 31, Persad-Bissessar added, “I told you so! I warned them! All this could have been avoided had he listened to me in Parliament on the 26th of April when I advised the Government to request a special report.”
“So Imbert has back-backed! Hang your head in shame!” she added, also slamming the Attorney General.
Persad-Bissessar said the court matter on the Finance probe would deal with that issue on June 3 but the law provided a formula for the removal of an Auditor General, involving the appointment of a tribunal by a President to investigate an Auditor General. She noted the President was overseas and there was an acting President.
She said that former Central Bank governor Jwala Rambaran was fired by an acting president when the then-president was overseas.
She added, “I’m just asking for a friend, is this the plan, Mr Prime Minister? Is this your Government’s plan? Is it true that this is your plan? I’m asking for the people …
“You’ve been hounding the poor woman out of office after she stood up and maintained her independence against you, so I warn you tonight—as we ask you, is this the Government’s wicked plan to get rid of an independent officeholder who’s stood her ground?”
She revealed contents from the Auditor General’s report showing the Government borrowed over $12B in fiscal 2023 with a total borrowing of $58B since 2019
“Are you doing well if you have to borrow 12.4 billion dollars in one year? No!” she added.
“If you have to borrow $58 billion are you doing well? No! They’re borrowing money to pay wages. The country’s broke!” she said, also noting the public debt had increased by $27B over 2019 to 2023, to $102B at the end of 2023.