SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - This year the General Audit Chamber is boosting its findings from past reports as part of its community awareness campaign. The Audit Chamber believes many of its previous reports contain much relevance to issues raised by the public and the island’s leaders. Over the years several findings were not picked up which provide answers to present challenges. These are matters such as the road fund, gambling, digitizing business licensing the pension fund, among others. “If further steps were taken, we’d begin to see a major turnaround in efficient government spending.”
Dozens of reports were published, emphasizing the need to improve financial management in the public sector. Overruns of millions and unaccounted for budget allocations have hampered the island's development. Throughout its campaign, the Audit Chamber intends to refresh the minds of the public of its work of upholding legal compliance and expenditure of taxpayers’ funds.
In addition to social media, the Audit Chamber intends to engage the public in discussions and connect with people within the community. It is open to hearing the topics of interest and discussions about official publications. This approach enfranchises residents in our democratic system and encourages accountability in all sectors. In the second quarter of 2024, the Audit Chamber will also launch a platform to increase financial literacy where persons can obtain a certificate. This initiative is geared towards raising awareness of tax expenditure and the audit impact.
Poor financial management weakens the capacity and functioning of the public sector. Efficient and transparent public spending ensures sustainability of vital programs. It also allows for greater investments in public programs.
The Audit Chamber proposed multiple recommendations for implementation following investigations that discovered inefficient spending of taxpayers' money. “We hope this thorough review of our quest to uphold good governance leads to new journeys of integral implementations.”
The Audit Chamber encourages the public to follow its social media pages on Facebook and Instagram and join its WhatsApp Channel for updates at your fingertips.
https://www.soualiganewsday.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=54615:general-audit-chamber-to-focus-on-review-of-past-reports&Itemid=450
