-after five failed attempts
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday held its first meeting of the 13th Parliament after a series of aborted sittings, with members agreeing to meet again on July 27 when several outstanding matters, including proposals to accelerate its work, will be revisited.
PAC Chairman Vishnu Panday told Kiskadee Watch that the committee met for about three hours at the Parliament Building and that all members attended, although government members Sanjeev Datadin and Gail Teixeira participated virtually.
“The meeting was very cordial. I was pleasantly surprised,” Panday said.
He added that the committee agreed that its next meeting, scheduled for July 27, will be open to the public.
In a statement following the meeting, APNU member Ganesh Mahipaul said the committee dealt with administrative matters necessary for its operations and considered several proposals put forward by the opposition.
Among them was a proposal to merge the examination of the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Auditor General’s reports in an effort to reduce the committee’s growing backlog. According to Mahipaul, government members requested additional time to consider the proposal and it will return to the agenda at the next meeting.
Mahipaul also said APNU proposed that the committee meet weekly. While no fixed schedule was adopted, members agreed that the date of each subsequent meeting would be determined at the conclusion of the preceding sitting. The next meeting was accordingly fixed for July 27.
The opposition further proposed that the process for reconstituting the Public Procurement Commission be initiated in accordance with the statutory procedure by advertising for suitably qualified applicants. Mahipaul said the committee agreed to place the issue on the agenda for substantive discussion at its next meeting.
The committee also agreed to continue its examination of outstanding paragraphs in the 2019 Auditor General’s Report when it next meets.
Yesterday’s sitting marked the committee’s first successful meeting after five consecutive attempts failed because government members had not confirmed their attendance, preventing the PAC from attaining the quorum required under the Standing Orders.
Panday, who was elected chairman of the committee last month, had repeatedly expressed concern over the mounting backlog in the PAC’s work, noting that it is now about six years behind in examining the Auditor General’s reports.
Ahead of yesterday’s meeting, he had told Kiskadee Watch that government members Dr Vishwa Mahadeo and Suresh Singh had informed the Clerk of the National Assembly of their availability, allowing the committee to convene.
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