Georgetown, Guyana – September 26, 2025 – Auditor General Deodat Sharma has revealed that several key performance audits are now underway, zeroing in on the Guyana Fire Service, as well as the country’s water and energy sectors. The findings, he said, could shine a spotlight on inefficiencies and spark major reforms in the delivery of these critical services.
Speaking at the handover of his 2024 Public Accounts Report and other key documents to Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir, Sharma confirmed that four audits are ongoing, two of which are expected to be wrapped up by year’s end, while the remaining two will conclude in 2026.
“We are looking at fire and the smoke that affects people when you have fire; that is with the Fire Service. We are also looking at one on water, to ensure everybody is getting water supply, and there is another one on energy so there are improvements,” Sharma said on Wednesday.
The update came alongside the submission of a new performance audit: “A Review of Asset Management at the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA).” This brings the total number of performance audits completed and submitted to Parliament to 18.
The Auditor General also pointed to years of international collaboration that have strengthened his office. The Canadian Audit and Accountability Foundation (CAAF) played a pivotal role over the last seven years, training 21 officers in data analytics and even the use of artificial intelligence to improve audit quality. That partnership, however, concluded in March 2025.
Locally, the Audit Office has been rolling out training programmes through the Ministry of Public Service, covering procurement laws, bank reconciliation, payment processing, and other areas designed to boost efficiency across the public service.
Sharma stressed that the goal of the performance audits, and the accompanying training programmes, is to ensure taxpayers get value for money and that agencies such as the Fire Service, water providers, and energy operators are meeting their obligations to the public.
