Resistance to supreme audit institutions jeopardises democracy, warns INTOSAI official

Einar Gørrisen, director general of INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI), is lauding the work of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) around the world, including Jamaica’s Auditor General’s Department, stating that they are tools of democracy that provide checks and balances for governments.

He said the independence of audit institutions is critical to the smooth functioning of democracies, noting that SAIs would not be seen as credible if they were not independent from the executive.

“So if there is resistance to SAIs and their work, that is actually jeopardising democracy in many countries,” Gørrisen said.

He was speaking with The Gleaner on the sidelines of the opening session of a meeting of the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Capacity Building Committee (CBC), the INTOSAI-Donor Corporation (IDC), and Mosaic at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Tuesday.

The IDI director general commended Jamaica’s Auditor General’s Department for the stellar job it has been performing for years.

“I think that the Jamaican people should be extremely proud of their audit office and auditor general. I think that the SAI in Jamaica over the years has really been a leading light both in the Caribbean and also internationally in terms of professionalising their activities and doing relevant audits.”

He mentioned audits done by the department during the COVID-19 pandemic that had a high impact on the country.

Strong leadership

Gorrisen hailed the strong leadership of Jamaica’s current auditor general, Pamela Monroe Ellis, who has been at the helm of the department for some 15 years.

He said Jamaica’s Auditor General’s Department also played an important role internationally in supporting the other SAIs in the Caribbean and within the global INTOSAI.

“Under the leadership of Pamela Monroe Ellis, this office has taken great strides and produced strong audit reports that will have an impact on the country,” he said.

He said developing countries like Jamaica are getting a lot of support but are equally providing valuable assistance as members of INTOSAI.

The director general commended the work of INTOSAI, noting that its members worked together and learned from each other.

“So Jamaica, in some initiatives, might be the beneficiaries, but in other initiatives, they are the experts providing support to others.”

The IDI is a body of the INTOSAI that supports capacity development of supreme audit institutions in developing countries.

The IDI works to strengthen SAIs in more than 140 countries around the world.