HGP Nightly News – APNU Members of Parliament Juretha Fernandes and Ganesh Mahipaul have accused government MPs of frustrating the work of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) by repeatedly failing to attend meetings and blocking the committee from reaching quorum.
Speaking at the party’s weekly press conference, Fernandes said the newly constituted PAC was expected to begin work shortly after its chair was elected. She said the chair was elected on a Thursday and called the first meeting for the following Monday, June 22.
According to Fernandes, the 15 members were asked to indicate their availability, but the committee did not have enough members present to meet.
She said efforts were then made to hold meetings on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, but again there was no quorum.
Fernandes said staff from the National Assembly later asked MPs to identify suitable times for PAC meetings.
She said both she and MP Volda Lawrence-Michael indicated that they would make themselves available whenever meetings are called, either in person or virtually.
Fernandes argued that accountability should not be treated as something MPs fit around other business.
“We are not working a schedule around accountability. Accountability is central to our work,” she said.
She accused government members of refusing to make time for meetings, even though virtual attendance is available.
According to Fernandes, the PAC is close to completing its review of the 2019 Auditor General’s Report, with only a few sections left before moving on to the 2020 report.
She reminded the public that the 2024 Auditor General’s Report has already been submitted, meaning the committee still has to examine reports for 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Fernandes accused the government side of using changes to the quorum rules to delay accountability for taxpayers’ money.
Mahipaul supported that position, saying APNU MPs had warned since 2022 that the amended quorum rules would be used to slow down the PAC’s work.
He recalled that on April 13, 2022, when the motion to change the quorum requirement was debated, opposition MPs warned that the move would allow the government to control how quickly the committee could function.
“We predicted that the move by government was to ensure that we don’t work, and we don’t work quickly to reach the current affairs,” Mahipaul said.
He said government MPs argued at the time that the change was only meant to ensure government representation at meetings, similar to the Parliamentary Management Committee.
Mahipaul said the opposition accepted that government presence was important, but warned that the rule could be abused.
He argued that what APNU warned about in 2022 is now happening.
According to Mahipaul, the government’s failure to attend meetings is preventing the PAC from catching up with current audit reports and examining how public funds are being spent.
