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Speaker moves to set record straight on Principal Auditor Report
The Speaker has moved to set the record straight on the latest Principal Auditor’s Report.
Karen Ramagge opened Thursday’s sitting of Parliament with a statement, saying she would not allow any comment from MPs after it.
On Wednesday evening, the Opposition asked why the 2018/19 Principal Auditor’s Report had not been tabled and published, despite being delivered to the House on the 13th of June.
The Speaker expressed disappointment that the Opposition was so ready to question whether Parliamentary procedure had been properly adhered to, despite her asking them not to speculate. She said there is no question of her team not doing things properly.
She said it “does the Opposition no credit” to cast aspersions so quickly before being in full possession of the facts.
The Speaker said she is very careful to uphold the independence of Parliament and so - given the Opposition’s comments in Parliament and their press release - she felt it necessary to read the letter she has now sent to the Leader of the Opposition.
The problem, the Speaker explained, is that the former Principal Auditor submitted the 2018/19 report after his time in office had come to an end. She said it was not clear if there was any statutory power for Tony Sacramento, whose name she didn’t use, to be in possession of the report or introduce it to Parliament. She said those powers are with the office, not the individual.
The Speaker explained this could give rise to “grave and far reaching implications”.
Karen Ramagge said she had been forced to reply now before reaching a final decision on how to proceed with the matter. She said it may need to be referred to the Attorney General for legal advice.
The Speaker also questioned how the GSD had come to know about the report being submitted to Parliament. She said she had full confidence in her staff, suggesting it was either the previous Principal Auditor or a member of his team who must’ve informed the Opposition.
Going forward, she said, this matter would be dealt with behind the Speaker’s chair, not in public.
Leader of the Opposition replies to Speaker
On Thursday afternoon, the issue moved along again.
The Leader of the Opposition issued a statement claiming the previous Principal Auditor completed the report before he started pre-retirement leave.
Keith Azopardi called for steps to be taken to publish the Principal Auditor’s report immediately.
He said the GSD does not accept that the method of delivery is in question, but if so Mr Azopardi said it can be delivered again and then tabled in Parliament and published this week.