PM Questioned Over Audit Process and Transparency
Questions about transparency and process are now being put directly to the Prime Minister. Why did he choose to trigger an audit through the Financial Secretary instead of following the route outlined by the Clerk of the National Assembly? And once that audit is complete, will its findings be made public, or kept out of view? We took those concerns straight to Prime Minister John Briceño.
Paul Lopez
“Why call on the Financial Secretary to request an audit from the Auditor General and not the National Assembly Clerk? The President of the Public Service Union argues that the Auditor General does not answer to the Prime Minister or the Financial Secretary but rather to the National Assembly.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“That is his opinion. All I did was called the financial secretary and said I think we need to call the Auditor General and request and audit, end of story.”
Paul Lopez
“What happens when those findings are made? Will those findings be made public, can you commit to making those findings public?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Well the report, I think we will have to make it public. That is as far as I will be able to commit.”
Reporter
“I think the NTUCB is calling for all ministries to be investigated. Will you do that?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Listen, we have a lot of work to do, when you look at the tremendous amount of work we have done. Just right now we just approved a trade agreement with El Salvador, something the UDP government could have never done.”
PM Briceño also contends that the United Democratic Party does not have the moral standing to criticize his administration because the former prime minister never once acted as swiftly as he did in addressing allegations of corruption.
Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.
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