Auditor General ‘no ordinary public servant’ and should be paid better, says Public Service Union (PSU)

Posted: Wednesday, October 16, 2024. 3:24 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: With the departure of Dorothy Bradley at the end of her contract in August, the position of Auditor General is vacant, and the Government issued a public notice to fill the vacancy per Circular Memorandum 2 of 2024 on October 7.

But the Public Service Union (PSU), which was particularly critical of Bradley, has issued a statement saying this is the wrong approach and that the senior post should not be treated as similar to any public service post.

As the PSU reminds, “The Office of the Auditor General is crucial for safeguarding transparency, accountability, and trust in the management of public funds.  Their unbiased evaluations of financial records, compliance with regulations, and overall performance assessments are critical for safeguarding taxpayer money and ensuring that public funds are utilized efficiently.  This position serves as a vital check on government spending and ensures that financial practices align with national laws and international standards.”

So it is not right, the Union says, that the Auditor General will only be paid a $50,000 salary per annum for a constitutionally enshrined position with guaranteed security of tenure, suggesting the salary should be more in line with a judge of the High Court.

The PSU accuses the Government of backtracking on yet another commitment made to the Belizean people in its Plan Belize manifesto and “portrays the burial of this administration’s still-born Good Governance Motions introduced on January 11, 2021.”

Reports suggest that the post will be filled with a contract officer, something National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) president Luke Martinez told reporters they are looking into: “We know that the previous Auditor General was pushing for an Auditor General Act and pushing for autonomy. We’re saying sometimes of course the autonomy is important because you can’t audit yourself. As is right now the government is auditing itself, how it’s structured. So it comes right back to the governance structure. How we strengthen the governance structure collectively to ensure that it works for us. Until then it won’t work out, it’s not working out for us.”

The NTUCB has called on the Supreme Audit Institution to look into the purchase of land by Government for $6.9 million from a private landowner to build the new University Hospital in Belmopan.

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The post Auditor General ‘no ordinary public servant’ and should be paid better, says Public Service Union (PSU) appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.

Posted: Wednesday, October 16, 2024. 3:24 pm CST. By Aaron Humes: With the departure of Dorothy Bradley at the end of her contract in August, the
The post Auditor General ‘no ordinary public servant’ and should be paid better, says Public Service Union (PSU) appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.