News:  Year 2005: October-December

Twelve Officers from RAA leaves for Amsterdam, the Netherlands 

December 2, 2005: Twelve officers from the Royal Audit Authority will be leaving for Amsterdam, the Netherlands on 3rd December 2005 to attend the tailor made training on 'Auditing in an IT Environment' from 5-9 December 2005 under the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP). The course was divided into three phases. This is the second phase of the training. First phase was held in Bhutan from 7-18 November 2005 and likewise third phase will also be held in Bhutan from 9-13 January 2006.

The participants on completion of the training will be jointly conducting In-House training for the rest of the auditors.
 

Bhutan commemorates the 2nd International Anti-Corruption Day 

December 2, 2005: The Royal Audit Authority (RAA) will be commemorating 'The International Anti-Corruption Day - 9th December 2005' at the RAA complex. This is the second year that RAA is commemorating this event in Bhutan.  

The 9th of December is declared as the annual 'International Anti - Corruption Day' by the United Nations General Assembly. More than 110 countries have signed the convention and 15 have rectified it. It is the result of the three years effort of 129 counties to take global action against corruption. The Convention provides a comprehensive set of standards and measures to promote international co-operation and domestic efforts in the fight to prevent corruption.   

To mark the event, the RAA will be distributing a brochure on corruption to the entire guest from across ministries, departments, organizations, non-governmental organizations, institutes, schools, colleges, etc. The brochure highlights definition (World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions) on corruption, typologies, forms and manifestations, causes (Global Programme against Corruption (GPAC, IMF), its impact (United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime) and its measures.  

On commemorating this event, we hope to provide an opportunity to create public awareness and commitment to curb corruption prevailing in Bhutan.  

His Excellency Lyonpo Sangye Ngedup, the Prime Minister of Bhutan has kindly consented as the Chief guest for the event.
 

Training on 'Dealing with Fraud and Corruption in Auditing'

December 2, 2005: Tashi, ASOSAI (Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions) Training Specialist from RAA will leave for Lahore, Pakistan on 5th December 2005 as an instructor for ASOSAI Regional Workshop on  'Dealing with Fraud and Corruption in Auditing' from 7-21 December 2005. Over twenty-five participants from twenty-two Asian countries including two from the Royal Audit Authority will be attending the workshop. 

The workshop is being organized by the ASOSAI in collaboration with the IDI (INTOSAI Development Initiative).
 

November 30, 2005: The Royal Audit Authority (RAA) will be organizing its third "Open Forum" to exchange views on RAA and its operations so as to enhance efficiency, transparency and accountability. 

The Forum is open for all interested. All are welcome to attend the Forum.

Suggestions, constructive feedback and critiques will be well received and used for improvements and reforms in auditing systems, procedures and practices.

November 4, 2005: Twelve auditors from the Royal Audit Authority will be trained on "Auditing in an IT Environment", a tailor-made course under the Netherlands Fellowship Program (NFP). The training is scheduled as under:

Phase 1 (in Bhutan)                         :       7-18 November 2005
Phase II (in the Netherlands)        :        5-9 December 2005
Phase III (in Bhutan)                       :        9-13 January 2006

Two resource person from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam- Centre for International Cooperation, Ms. Margaret Elinor Hershey, IT Auditor and Mr. Gerrit Johannes Van Der Piji, Professor of IT Auditing will be here in Bhutan on 5^th November 2005 and deliver the training.

Auditors view of IS/IT Management and the development of information systems, Internal controls, data bases and data communications, IT security, introduction to IT auditing, procedures and techniques, and Computer Assisted Auditing Techniques and Systems are the topics that will be covered in the first phase.

Ms. Cecilia Keizer, Honorary Consul, Consulate of the Netherlands, Thimphu had consented to grace the opening ceremony on 7^th November 2005 at the RAA Conference Hall.

25 October 2005:The Auditor General of Bhutan, Dasho Kunzang Wangdi leaves for Moscow, Russian Federation today, 25th October 2005 to attend the tenth Meeting of the Working Group on Environmental Auditing (WEGA). The meeting will be convened from 27 October to 1st November 2005.         

The Working Group on Environmental Auditing (WGEA) was set up under the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) with the mission to:

• Assists supreme audit institutions (SAIs) in acquiring a better understanding of the specific issues involved in environmental auditing;

• Facilitates exchange of information and experience among SAIs; and

• Publishes guidelines and other informative material for their use. 

During a weeklong meeting, the participants are to discuss and share experiences and problems on issues increasing the impact of environmental audits and its challenges, auditing biological diversity and climate change. 

More than sixty countries with over 140 participants will be in attendance in the tenth meeting of WEGA.

14 October 2005: Tashi, Head, Human Resource and International Relations Division will be joining the IDI Training Specialists from Thailand and Philippines to conduct Needs Assessment Survey for the new developing Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) of Asia. In the process they will be visiting the Supreme Audit Institutions of Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia. The Needs Assessment Survey is being undertaken by ASOSAI (Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions) and funded by the INTOSAI Development Initiative.

The objective of this programme is to;

(a)   assist the new SAIs upgrade their audit capabilities through hands-on-training;and

(b)   to reinforce regional audit training capabilities of ASOSAI.

After 2 days of planning meeting, the IDI Training Specialists will visit the SAIs of Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia.

14 October 2005: Sherap Dorjee, Deputy Auditor General accompanied by B.B Chhetri, Asstt. Auditor general left for the Board of Audit, Japan today. While at Japan, they will study the Japanese Performance and IT Audit Systems and also visit the Ananka Training Centre.

On 18^th October 2005, they will call on the President of the Board of Audit, Japan. The delegates will return back to Bhutan on 25^th October 2005.

7 October 2005: Pursuant to the set mandate of the Royal Audit Authority, the three member internal audit team of the RAA will be proceeding to the Office of the Assistant Auditor General, Tsirang, on October 9, 2005, to audit it's books of accounts and other relevant records and internal affairs for the fiscal year 2004 - 2005.
 

Workshop on Draft Performance Audit Guidelines

3 October 2005: The SAI of Bhutan is organizing a three-day workshop on "Draft Performance Audit Guidelines of Bhutan", which was drafted by the Royal Audit Authority Performance Audit Committee members. The UNDP Resident Representative Her Excellency, Ms. Renata Lok Dessallien will inaugurate the workshop. It will be held in the RAA conference hall from October 3, 2005 to October 5, 2005 and will be attended by those officials of the RAA who had undergone training related to the Performance Audit.