An annual much-hyped event is this time round turned into an even bigger event, coming as it does, on the eve of a general election.

The statutory annual publication of the report by the National Audit Office has already been accompanied by a frenzied surge in attacks and defence, in calls for resignation and in self-defending statements.

All this creates a hazy cloud of attack and counter-attack from which no one learns anything and in which truth is obfuscated.

The first thing one must state at the outset is that it is right that the State has given itself this very important tool, an independent Audit Office which delves into every issue it can see fit  and which obliges, forces, the government departments to be extra careful in how they are handling public monies for they have to account for it.

Each year, the Office brings up many issues and concerns and each year those directly involved have to account for their cases. Undoubtedly, each year we have the same procession of those under accusation coming forth to justify their behaviour, to explain away, to state that the Auditor must have been mistaken or things were not so bad, etc.

As the Auditor himself would be the first to admit, the Office is a limited one with limited means at its disposal. And of course there are certain issues where the Auditor’s Office cannot reach deep enough. That was one of the reasons why the IAID was set up – although one cannot really comment until the end of the current case.

There could be scope too for investigations by the police and by special investigators and these do sometimes happen and people are hauled before the courts as a result.

Obviously, such reports are grist to the Opposition’s mill – this has always been the case and will always be so. It is one added reason why the government of the day has to ensure that its operations are above suspicion and that the advice of the Audit Office Report is taken up and implemented.

When the Report states that such and such an issue has been identified many times in the previous years and still persists, that is then a matter for real concern. One must not automatically conclude from this that there was lack of political will on the part of the government but it shows that for all the will to amend things and to improve procedures, the government, the ministry, the department concerned have failed.

The annual publication of the Report is thus a very worthwhile exercise in humility that ensures that the government machine is not allowed to toy with thinking it is infallible and brooks no criticism.

Criticism of ruling administration is not just the remit of the Opposition of the day but of all citizens who pay for the upkeep of the government machine with their taxes. To find out where the government machine is not delivering is thus a very important and worthy undertaking and the entire nation must be grateful to the Auditor’s Office for uncovering faulty practices and urging their correction.