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Gov't and opposition members split on removing Auditor General from IC

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Opposition members of the Joint Select Committee reviewing the Integrity Commission Act, Dr. Morais Guy and Julian Robinson and government members Tova Hamilton and Delroy Chuck
 
Support for the removal of the Auditor General from the Integrity Commission (IC) was split along political lines. 
 
Government members of the Joint Select Committee reviewing the Integrity Commission Act are in unison for the Auditor General to be removed from the Integrity Commission, while opposition members believe the Auditor General should remain on the Commission. 
 
Opposition members Dr. Morais Guy and Julian Robinson disagreed with any attempt to remove the Auditor General. 
 
"I don't have a difficulty with the Auditor General being a Commissioner of the IC. If the basis is that the AG audits that particular Commission, I don't think it is done by the AG. In fact, it is not done by the AG," Dr. Guy pointed out. 
 
"In my understanding, where audits are done of the Integrity Commission, they are done not by the Auditor General's Department, but by an independent accounting firm, which removes that issue of a conflict of interest," said Mr. Robinson, who added his support for the Auditor General to remain a member of the Integrity Commission. 
 
But government members, including Tova Hamilton and Delroy Chuck, are supporting separation. 
 
"If it is that office is removed from the Commission, then the Auditor General can undertake the necessary audits as it relates to bodies of that nature. The audits that are currently done are not similar to the audits that the Auditor General would normally do," noted Ms. Hamilton.  
 
"We are dealing with a body that is being provided with almost $2 billion worth of government money. The Integrity Commission is as big as many ministries and it requires, in my view, the full force of the Auditor General's Department to investigate not only the IC, but it must be clear to Parliament how the funds provided are being used. I am sure we can find other good persons to become Commissioners," reasoned Mr. Chuck. 
 
The Committee is to submit a final report to Parliament with its recommendations. 


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