Basil: Give PAC powers to investigate and prosecute

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Thursday 9th May 2013

 DEPUTY Opposition leader Sam Basil has called on parliament to give the Public Accounts Committee and the auditor-general powers to investigate and prosecute persons implicated in the government audit 

reports. 

Basil has urged PAC chairman John Hickey to summon the secretaries of treasury, finance, national planning, personnel management, the Chief Secretary and police commissioner to face the committee.

He wants the secretaries to: 

 l Report on why recurrent and development funds continued to be released to incompetent departments and agencies when they cannot account, keep proper records and provide reports on expansion of public funds;  

 l Report on why the police has not conducted investigations, arrests and prosecution of persons implicated in the various AG’s reports, directions and referral by PAC, recommendations of various commission of inquiry and other investigation and inquiry sanctioned by parliament, national executive council, ministers and department heads; and,  

 l Report why the public prosecutor cannot undertake ex-officio indictments or even to take over some prosecution responsibilities from police relating to white collar crime.