Dereliction of duty in public sector:

Auditor General suggests remedial measures to punish culprits

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Auditor General W. P. C. Wickramaratne says the National Audit Act and the Standing Orders 120 and 121 of the Parliament should be amended to curb waste, corruption and irregularities in the public sector.

Wickramaratne emphasised the urgent need to address the issue at hand as the country experienced the worst-ever post-independence economic downturn.

Wickramaratne said that he had recently discussed ways and means of addressing the issue with the chairmen of the two parliamentary watchdog committees, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) headed by Prof. Charitha Herath and Prof. Tissa Vitharana, respectively.

The AG said so when The Island sought his response to Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena’s recent admission in Parliament that recommendations made by the watchdog committees as well as the Committee on Public Petitions hadn’t been carried out by officials. The Education Minister, who is also the leader of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP), blamed the crisis on the inadequacy of constitutional and legal powers in place.

Minister Gunawardena acknowledged that in spite of the issue at hand being raised in Parliament on many occasions, it hadn’t been addressed. He said so when some members of the Committee on Public Petitions complained about the failure on the part of the officials to carry out specific recommendations.

AG Wickramaratne said that his Department could take action in that regard if the watchdog committees made specific recommendations in respect of the surcharge. However, both the National Audit Act and Standing Orders 120 and 121 should be amended to provide the required authority to the Auditor General, Wickramaratne said.

Responding to another query, AG Wickramaratne stressed that the Secretaries to the Ministries in their capacity as the Chief Accounting Officers were responsible for implementing the recommendations made by the watchdog committees. The watchdog committees summoned state sector enterprises on the basis of reports prepared by competent officers of the AG’s Department, Wickramaratne said.

“We, too, participate in the proceedings chaired by Chairmen of the watchdog committees. Therefore, the findings cannot be disputed by any party. What the watchdog committees regularly issue is information that can be the basis for legal proceedings,” the Auditor General said.

Wickramaratne received the appointment as the AG in April 2019. According to Wickramaratne, the AG’s Department could impose surcharge on Local Government authorities therefore it would be quite important to expand the scope of their authority. The AG reiterated his concerns over their failure to secure parliamentary approval for the National Audit Bill in its original form.

The Parliament passed the National Audit Bill with amendments in early July 2018. Unfortunately, the provisions relating to the proposed surcharge et al had been deleted in spite of determined efforts made by the AG’s Department during the tenure of Gamini Wijesinha to have the Bill enacted in its original form.

Wickramaratne emphasised the urgent need to strengthen the state sector revenue collection process while tough measures were taken in respect of those who caused losses to the State.

He explained how the enactment of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution in Oct 2020 further weakened the overall state auditing process much to the dismay of his department. The forthright official called for enhancement of revenue collection measures, consolidation of state revenue and necessary amendments to face the daunting economic challenges.

Making reference to COPA reports based on AG’s Department findings, Wickramaratne said that it wouldn’t be too hard to recognize the longstanding shortcomings and the lapses. COPA Chairman Prof. Vitharana explained the far reaching changes required to streamline the Customs, the Inland Revenue and the Exercise Departments key institutions responsible for state revenue collection.

Minister Gunawardena has told members of the Committee on Public Accounts that they should look into the matter as successive Parliaments failed to take remedial measures. The Colombo District lawmaker said that they had discussed this matter with Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and his intervention was being sought to address the issue.

A statement issued by Minister Gunawardena’s Office, quoted the Chief Government Whip as having told members of the Committee on Public Petitions: “The issue raised by you has been raised, discussed and deliberated in every parliament though remedial measures weren’t taken. This issue is connected to the Constitution. We expect public servants to implement relevant recommendations in terms of the powers exercised by them. It should be done. If public servants leave without reaching consensus what can be done.”

MP Charitha Herath on a number of occasions told The Island of the need to take punitive measures against those who deprived the government of revenue. The SLPP National List MP said that the national economy was in such bad shape that urgent measures were required to stabilize the economy badly hit by the Covid-19 eruption.