The Auditor General has presented his report for the year 2008 – 2009 and while many would have thought that his report would have actually covered wrongdoings during the current UDP administration the truth is that the report does no such thing. The 132 page report covers instances of wrongdoing which took place during the past PUP administration.
Some in the ‘independent’ media have made much about the report claiming that the current administration is suffering from the gross levels of corruption as did the past administration, but the truth is that one only needs to read the report to realize that this accusation is the furthest thing from the truth. Just about every page catalogues failures by the former PUP administration.
The mere fact that there is actually a report which was produced by the Auditor General for the first year of the UDP government, speaks volumes as to the seriousness with which this administration takes the issue of transparency and accountability. When last has there been an Annual Report by the Auditor General? As far as anyone can remember there has not been a single report from the Auditor General in very many years.
For the ‘Independent’ media to claim that this government is suffering from misdeeds very much like the previous one is at best disingenuous and at worst downright deceitful. How can anyone, even if just by a cursory glance, not see the glaring acts of corruption that are highlighted in the document and jump directly to issues where improper records are being kept? This simply shows a level of, dare we say, malice, on the part of the ‘independent’ media towards this current administration. The levels of corruption of the last PUP administration left very much to be desired from public officers and it will take a lot more than just a year in office to see them fall back in line where they are held accountable. Any public officer can tell you that during the PUP administration everything went to the dogs. There was accountability required from anyone. If the ministers were able to hustle and usurp existing structures such as the finance and audit act and the financial orders, then what could have been expected from the lowly public officers? If the bosses use to set the example that thieving and corruption were the order of the day, then public officers too fell into the slippery morass of corruption.
The bottom line is that this government is serious about righting the wrongs done by the PUP and that it will take time before that is actually accomplished. As for the ‘Independent’ media, it’s unfair to judge the UDP like you would the PUP. Take another look at the Auditor General’s report and you would know that what is contained within has much, much more to do with the PUP than it does with the UDP.
