Bid to amend already diluted National Audit Bill riles auditors

By Shamindra Ferdinando-August 17, 2016 

Combined Trade Union Alliance of Auditor General’s Department yesterday alleged that an attempt was being made to change even the amended National Audit Bill much to the disappointment of the department and to the detriment of the national interest.

Deputy Auditor General and Convenor of the trade union grouping A. H. M. L. Ambanwela yesterday told The Island that the amended Bill had been sent to senior prime ministerial adviser Charitha Ratwatte for further examination. Ambanwela said that Ratwatte had discussed the Bill with Ranjith Ariyadasa, President of the Public Administration Service Association. Ambanwela, a victim of an acid attack for doing his job said that they believed that the amended Bill would be sent to Cabinet for approval. Instead, the Bill had been forwarded to Ratwatte through Saman Ekanayake, Secretary to the Prime Minister.

Asked whether the Auditor General’s Department had succumbed to political pressure to dilute the original Bill, Ambanwela said that the government wanted to do away with or amend about 20 out of 57 sections in the Bill. He said that the original Bill had been examined by a four-member Cabinet Sub-Committee comprising Dr Sarath Amunugama, Rauff Hakeem, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Ravi Karunanayake.

Ambanwela said that the Ambanwela said that the Attorney General and Legal Draftsman together with Auditor General’s Department amended the Bill taking into consideration recommendations made by the Cabinet Sub-Committee. "Now, the amended Bill has been held up for months. We are really disappointed. All of us are appalled by the move to amend the amended Bill."

Responding to a query, Ambanwela stressed that there couldn’t have been any reason for the appointment of a Cabinet Sub-Committee to examine the original Bill as it was drafted by a top level committee headed by the Auditor General. In spite of the draft being vetted by several experts as well as the Attorney General, a section of the Cabinet had found fault with it, hence the decision to appoint a Cabinet Sub Committee, Ambanwela said.

An irate Ambanwela alleged that the original Bill would have certainly strengthened anti-corruption drive and resulted in a stable economy. Unfortunately, those who had been preaching transparency, accountability and good governance were hesitant to introduce at least the diluted National Audit Bill, Ambanwela said.

Blaming the previous government for purposely delaying the passage of the National audit Bill for over a decade, Ambanwela pointed out that the incumbent government repeatedly had assured that the National Audit Bill would be passed during President Maithripala Sirisena 100-day programme. In fact, according to President Maithripala Sirisena’s manifesto, the National Audit Bill was to be adopted before March 19, 2015, Ambanwela said, alleging that due to the government’s failure the Independent Audit Commission couldn’t function.

The Deputy Auditor General said that the National Audit Commission had been appointed by the Constitutional Council in accordance with the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. However, proposed State Audit Service couldn’t be launched until the passage of the National Audit Bill, Ambanwela said, expressing grave concern over what he called a deliberate attempt to sabotage meaningful project to strengthen the public sector auditing process. "The bottom line is that the National Audit Commission is idling".

According to Ambanwela, the original National Audit Bill conformed to international standards. He alleged that an influential section of Secretaries to ministries had been strongly opposed to the National Audit Bill intended to empower the Auditor General. The ongoing effort to weaken the Bill was contrary to the 19 Amendment, he said.

The top official didn’t mince his words when he declared that a cabal of secretaries had the backing of some ministers.

Revealing that they would seek the intervention of international lending agencies to pressure the government over the National Audit Bill, Ambanwela said that if there been tougher laws they could have thwarted many irregularities. Ambanwela insisted that full implementation of the National Audit Bill/Act would surely transform the country.

The Deputy Auditor General said that the absence of effective laws to tackle waste, corruption and irregularities was causing instability and turmoil in the public sector.

Attorney General and Legal Draftsman together with Auditor General’s Department amended the Bill taking into consideration recommendations made by the Cabinet Sub-Committee. "Now, the amended Bill is held up for months. We are really disappointed. All of us are appalled by the move to amend the amended Bill." Ambanwela said.

Responding to a query, Ambanwela emphasized that there couldn’t have been any reason for the appointment of a Cabinet Sub-Committee to examine the original Bill as it was drafted by a top level committee headed by the Auditor General. In spite of the draft being vetted by several experts as well as the Attorney General, a section of the Cabinet found fault with it, hence the decision to appoint a Cabinet Sub Committee, Ambanwela said.

An irate Ambanwela alleged that the original Bill would have certainly strengthened anti-corruption drive and resulted in a stable economy Unfortunately, those who had been preaching transparency, accountability and good governance were hesitant to introduce at least the diluted National Audit Bill, Ambanwela said.

Blaming the previous government for purposely delaying the passage of the National audit Bill for over a decade, Ambanwela pointed out that the incumbent yahapalana government repeatedly assured that the National Audit Bill would be passed during President Maithripala Sirisena 100-day programme. In fact, according to President Maithripala Sirisena’s manifesto, the National Audit Bill was to be adopted before March 19, 2015, Ambanwela said, alleging that due to the government’s failure the Independent Audit Commission couldn’t function.

The Deputy Auditor General said that the National Audit Commission had been appointed by the Constitutional Council in accordance with the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. However, proposed State Audit Service couldn’t be launched until the passage of the National Audit Bill, Ambanwela said, expressing grave concern over what he called a deliberate attempt to sabotage meaningful project to strengthen the public sector auditing process. "The bottom line is that the National Audit Commission is idling".

According to Ambanwela, the original National Audit Bill had been in line with various international statements including that of the UN in 2011.

Ambanwela alleged that an influential section of Secretaries to ministries had been strongly opposed to the National Audit Bill intended to empower the Auditor General. Ambanwela said that the ongoing effort to weaken the Bill was contrary to the 19 Amendment.

The top official didn’t mince his words when he declared that the grouping of secretaries had the backing of some ministers.

Ambanwela revealed that they would seek the intervention of international lending agencies to pressure the government over the National Audit Bill. Ambanwela said that had there been tougher laws they could have thwarted many irregularities. Ambanwela insisted that full implementation of the National Audit Bill/Act would surely transform the country.

The Deputy Auditor General said that the absence of effective laws to tackle waste, corruption and irregularities was causing instability and turmoil in the public sector.