Government today released a publication called “Governance – Action on the NAO’s Annual Report 2014”.

Every ministry, in coordination with their Permanent Secretariats, was asked to state what action was taken with respect to recommendations made by the Auditor General. Where certain failures were found in the NAO report, corrective action had been requested.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat explained that of the 259 recommendations made by the Auditor General’s 2014 report, 241 were met.

It was said that a few recommendations were not met as they do not fall under the competence of the ministry or run contrary to established public service policy.

Dr Muscat told the press that in the past, the Auditor General’s recommendations would often fall on deaf ears, however this new measure would show that the public is getting  its money’s worth and that the Auditor General’s report would no longer be a photocopy of the previous year’s as work on the recommendation is taking place. This, he said, reflects the transparency of this government.

“This is the first time government is publishing a reaction to the Auditor General’s recommendations. We are trying to break the circle in which the Auditor General, year on year , highlights the same public administration problems”.

Aside from transparency, this report also lends towards good governance, he said.

Dr Muscat also turned to major government contracts that are to be published by the end of the year. He said that they will be published, bar the areas with commercially confidential information. 

 

Photo Jonathan Borg