Audit Protest

Mar.26 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government auditors are threatening industrial action against chronic inaction by authorities and the parliament to crackdown on corruption and other shortcomings highlighted by them.
The angry tones follows a statement attributed to the treasury secretary, which appeared in a Sunday weekly, criticising the audit report for having brought disrepute the public sector.

“As soon as we saw the statement we felt a sense of being let down,” says M S Nayana Kumara of the Sri Lanka Audit Service Association.

“When a senior government official says something like this, it reflects badly on the independence of the auditors.
The message that comes through is that we should not audit.
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The auditor general is facing criticism from the department’s rank and file, who complain about difficulties in carrying out their duties.

“My staff are restless, it is a problem for me,” says Auditor General S C Mayadunne.

“My staff complains that they would find it difficult to go into state institutions and do their job. They are accusing me of staying silent.
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Auditors unions say the entire system of checks and balances relating to transparency in government accounts is being underm