OPPOSITION MAINTAINED, FINANCE MINISTER BREACHED PFM ACT

The Parliamentary Opposition Group stands by its view that the Minister of Finance has breached section 52(1)(a) of the Public Finance Management Act –PFM.

Responding to the Finance Ministry statement, the Opposition Group says whilst it acknowledge that the Ministry confirms tabling the mid-year review report on the 2016 budget; the Ministry has failed to admit that it was done outside of what the law required.

The Opposition statement says, its office has been informed by Parliament that the report was just submitted on Monday 19th September, clearly 9 months after the budget has been executed.

It explains, the Minister by virtue of section 52(1)(a) must table the review report on the 2016 budget not later than 31 July 2016.

The Opposition Group says there is a failure on the requirement that the Minister is obligated by law to table the review report not later than seven months after the start of the financial year.

It adds it would now be interesting to watch whether or not the Speaker of Parliament accepts and tables the report before Parliament.

The opposition says, not providing the report on time is the same as withholding information from Parliamentary due process of scrutiny. Clearly this is bad governance and the Speaker should not allow the Executive to bend the law to suit its ineffectiveness.

The Parliamentary Opposition urge the Speaker to ensure the executive complies with the requirements of the law and set a very strong precedence- the law and Parliament processes must not be tampered with.