Letter of the Day | Examine institutions with temperance not boorish behaviour

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The Gleaner editorial ‘Beware mongoose at the hen house’, published October 30, compels me to attempt again to highlight the significant concern that invited my recommendation that the auditor general be removed as an eligible commissioner of the Integrity Commission. The conflict of interest that is created by her acting as a commissioner is one matter, but the more significant reason is that the constitutional and statutory duties of the auditor general do not contemplate her acting as a member of the board of any public entity or body or of a commission. In fact, her duties give her audit responsibilities for ALL public bodies and statutory authorities. Auditors who take charge of an entity’s audit do not participate in the management and governance of the entity!

It should be of grave concern to all of us that because of the unavailability of the auditor general to audit the Integrity Commission, the Integrity Commission is not being independently audited AT ALL in respect of its work processes, systems and other non-financial matters. The Auditor General’s Department is the ONLY body that can do that! The appointed auditor does not audit the Integrity Commission to determine whether its systems and processes are fair, lawful and comply with good governance practices. So, NO ONE has oversight of its processes. Are we content to permit our anti-corruption bodies to operate without audit of their processes? Is that good governance?

Unfortunately, sensational language does not further a sober, diligent or critical analysis of this matter. My motive in examining this issue and seeking a national discussion is simply for the best interest of governance of my country’s critical institutions. Perhaps we are so used to boorish behaviour that it becomes easy to adopt the same approach in addressing this issue in your editorial. I urge you and all stakeholders to allow us to examine our institutions with temperance and diligence, in the interest of our country. Anything else does not serve us as a country.

SHERENE GOLDING CAMPBELL

Senator