MP: No time to complete audit

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POLICE Minister Bryan Kramer said he wasn’t afforded the luxury of time to complete an internal audit of a K23 million spent on the Covid-19.
Opposition Leader Belden Namah had called for the audit to be made public.
Namah said Kramer had committed to complete the internal audit in seven days but it was now more than 21 days.
“You can’t make such statements and do the audit (because) you are not an auditor,” he said.
Kramer said Pape consultants and Business Advisers would be conducting an independent audit into the K23mil.
He told The National the firm was highly recommended and their engagement was authorised by State of Emergency Controller David Manning.
“I’m informed they were also involved in auditing GM Australia and incentive fund projects,” he said.
“So they will be doing an independent audit into the K23mil Covid-19 funds in the next two weeks.”
Kramer, in a statement on Facebook on Friday, said: “It is true I did make the statement that an internal investigation would be carried out into in the K23mil released by the Marape-Steven Government to the Health Department for the Covid-19 and I did say I expected it to be done within seven days.
“Unfortunately, following that statement, I was tasked to deal with a number of pressing issues and I became embroiled in a number of court matters.”
Kramer said he received all the bank statements and source documents from the Health Department.
“Pressed for time, I sought advice from professional advisers in aid and donor programmes to engage an independent auditor to carry out the work,” he said.
“Based on the advice provided, Andy Pape of Pape Consultants and Business Advisers was highly recommended.”
Kramer said, on May 16, he met Pape at the National Operational Centre in Port Moresby where he briefed Pape on his plans to engage a forensic accountant to carry out an independent investigation into the expenditure of K23mil Covid-19 funds.
“Pape provided a company profile and an expression of interest to provide services,” he said.
“Terms of reference were drawn up and agreed to.
“There was a delay of two weeks to formalise the details and define the extent of the work to be carried out.
“I’m informed that if provided all relevant information, the forensic audit should take no more than two weeks.”

15 comments

  • Appointing their cronies to do the audits, it will always be in favor of the money users and will never highlight any misuses.
    “Love of Money is the Root of All Evils”, as the saying goes, one will speak publically and deny but the truth is not known. Contracts given to cronies so later they use the spin-offs.

    Sorry PNG

  • Who is Pape Consultants and Business Advisors by the way..! Honestly have never heard of them and why not also engage the Auditor General too so there can be two reports.

  • These are public funds and they should always be audited by Auditor Generals Office. If the AGO does not have the capacity to carry out the audit then they can contract it out to private audit firms.
    This arrangement smells fishy as it seems that under they COVID-19 Emergency orders this audit work is given to cronies at an exorbitant price. Can the Police Minister come out clear as to how much it will cost to carry out the Audit. The tax payers need to know?

  • Point 1: The internal audit to be conducted by BK is no longer an internal audit.
    Point 2: The seven day time frame as stated by BK has gone out the window.
    Point 3: “Pressed for time, I sought advice from professional advisers in aid and donor programmes to engage an independent auditor to carry out the work,” is probably political speak for the aid & donor program advisors insisted on an independent audit.
    Point 4: “So they will be doing an independent audit into the K23mil Covid-19 funds in the next two weeks.” Probably means they haven’t even started the audit yet.
    Point 5: “Terms of reference were drawn up and agreed to”. Probably means the Gov’t is limiting exactly what the independent auditors can investigate.
    –

  • The report is on usage of public funds hence external auditors from AGO should be allowed to audit

  • The report is on usage of public funds hence external auditors from AGO should be allowed to audit

  • Can we know the details of the terms of references please. Your explanation sounds nice and good but you have lost a lot of credibility as well since you joined government ranks. For the sake of transparency the nation needs to know how much your crony will be given.

  • You have lost your dignity in the eyes of Papua New Guineans by claiming to do what you cannot do..
    Don’t blame the time and court cases but yourself..

  • Is there formalities to followed before engaged any consultative audit organization. Well we don’t trust any politician anymore, due process of audit have to be by NEC and not by any political leaders. This is because of bribery leading to corruption.

  • The saying ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ somehow rings true considering the big “U” turn taken by our good Police Minister.

  • kramer, kramer, kramer. people believed and even put 100% trust on you, that you`ve been fighting for corruption ever seen you were ordinary man.now you are in power. in system and victimized to corruption.. what kind of person are you?…why engage a forensic accountant to carry out an independent investigation into the expenditure of K23mil Covid-19 funds.?? these public fund is must to engage and audited by Auditor Generals Office..you and cronies pape trying to prove what.

  • Whats the use and waste of tax money going to a private firm to carry out the Forensic audit when you and the principle of the audit firm sitting together with you to discuss the TOR for the Audit,TOR should be draft by the firm and submit to Auditor General Office,upon that audit recommendations for the TOR from the office from the AGO,it should be forward to you for the approval for the firm to carry out the forensic audit,so here MR KRAMER said you were sitting together with the engaged firm to discuss the TOR,you are not an auditor you should delegate responsibility to AGO to justify procedure it will take to do the audit,this is not right Mr KRAMER because you the private firm a discussing the TOR so some restriction is given to the firm on what to be audited,its a big mistake you make and it does not sound right. Corrupt practice.

  • Mr. Kramer, hope you are not talking alot. I hope you have made some positive impacts in Madang already rather than talking alot in the Parliament and on Social Media.

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