2018 Auditor General Report seriously concerning

Dear Editor,

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), as a leading voice of the nation’s workers, cannot help but be concerned and, obviously, very apprehensive about the accountability and prudent use of our nation’s financial resources.

Several media reports, in recent days, have disclosed that damning and startling finding by the Auditor General for the year ended 2018. It should not be lost that the expenditure of the Government is ultimately financed by the taxpaying Guyanese public. Certainly and rationally, our people have high expectations that their hard-earned monies would be used in the wisest manner to ensure maximum benefit and return.

It is, therefore, of serious concern that the Auditor General has found that hundreds of millions of dollars cannot be accounted for. But more than that, the constitutionally-independent Audit Office has recognised what appears to be unhindered wastage of our nation’s financial resources.

We read disappointingly about the excessive cost of drugs in Region 6; the apparent misuse of funds earmarked for Georgetown’s restoration; the overpayment to contractors, and so many other seeming financial misadventures.
This is, for us, deeply worrying, as it appears those charged with safeguarding our nation’s finances have apparently little sympathy for the efforts of our nation’s workers and others who ultimately foot the bill for the indiscretions and feel the loss of not having adequate and efficient Government services. The double whammy is more hurtful given the hard-work of our people.

FITUG, which has also obtained a copy of the report, has recognised that in 2018 the Government raked in $15.1B more in revenues than anticipated. The higher than anticipated take, we noticed, came mainly from taxes. We saw custom and trade taxes was $2.8B more than expected; internal revenue, which includes withholding tax and income tax, was $8.3B above budget; VAT was nearly $5B more than anticipated and excise tax was $1.3B higher than estimated. Of course this is at variance from what the Government said previously.

For us, the Auditor General’s report was eye-opening and revealing. It has obviously caused us to wonder how much of an effort is really placed in ensuring that our people’s monies are appropriately spent. Undoubtedly such questions abound.

We saw in the report that even economic projects implemented in several regions have floundered. Weren’t these initiatives properly studied before implemented or is it a case of the Administration gambling with our people’s wealth?
The FITUG has pointed out last year how oppressive taxes have become, with taxes per capita rising by over 60 percent in the life of the Coalition Administration.

At a time when, our nation’s workers have to pinch and squeeze and use innovative means to survive and make their ends meet, we have to learn about the poor accountability and planning that pervades.

Respectfully,

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana