NWA head calls for specialist auditors for technical work

By Nakinskie Robinson    

Chief Executive Officer of the National Works Agency E.G. Hunter is calling for specialised auditors to be utilised by the office of the Auditor General when conducting certain audits that require a technical analysis of the findings.

The recommendation was made during a Public Accounts Committee meeting Tuesday morning where the findings of the Auditor General’s performance audit report on the management of the main road network by the NWA were discussed.

Mr. Hunter, during the meeting, noted the lack of a technical review and opinions in the report.

“The Auditor General’s Department should examine the possibility of employing what I call technical auditors or specialist auditors to undertake specialist work whenever they are conducting certain types of audit,” he proposed.

Auditor General Pamela Munroe Ellis agreed that this is necessary, adding that her department “tried to do that for this audit”. But she admitted that it is difficult to “get that kind of support” due to the level of remuneration. 

“That is the reason why this report – which I consider to be very basic – that’s the reason why it does not provide any opinion or comments because we did not have the technical support to do so,” she said. 

Mr. Hunter also proposed the undertaking of specialised professional bodies such as the Jamaica Institute of Engineers among others to carry out peer reviews for reports requiring technical proficiency.

He also took issue with the language used in the report which he said suggested that the US$69 million cost reduction resulting from the NWA’s negotiation could be perceived as benevolence on the part of contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).

The NWA chief also had a difficulty with a section of the report that he said suggested that existing faulty equipment were identified by CHEC.

But the Auditor General countered Mr. Hunter, noting that only data and objective language used in other relevant government and NWA reports were used. 

In light of this, she argued that there is no evidence to support Mr. Hunter’s claim. “So I think you are being disingenuous to suggest that the report is not factual,” she added.