Mid-Term Review Meeting: The Royal Audit Authority

January 25, 2008: The Royal Audit Authority (RAA) convened a two day Mid-Term Review (MTR) Meeting on 23^rd and 24^th January 2008 at the RAA Conference Hall,  Chaired by the Auditor General. More than 40 participants including Assistant Auditors General from Bumthang, Tsirang and Samdrup Jongkhar attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed the mid-year progress of the Annual Audit Plans at length and devised various strategies reckoning the strengths and weaknesses, threats and opportunities to achieve its targets over the next six months. The Annual Audit Schedules 2007-2008 has also been revised.

The auditing assignments, drafting and finalization of various audit manuals, drafting of Continuous Professional Development Policy, drafting of Audit Field and Reporting Standard, drafting of Annual Audit Report and revision of Guidelines on Audit Clearance were among the pertinent activities included in the Annual Audit Plan 2007-2008.

Besides, the Annual Audit Plans, the meeting also deliberated on the compliance to the resolution of earlier conference resolutions and the recommendations made by the INTOSAI Development Initiative in their Capacity Building Need Assessment Report.
 

The Auditor General presents AG’s Advisory Series on Procurement and Construction to the Government Coordination Committee

January 10, 2008: The Hon’ble Auditor General made presentation on the ‘Auditor General’s Advisory Series on Construction and Procurement’ and the status on the follow up of pending audit reports to the Government Coordination Committee. The follow up of the pending audit reports was conducted in line with the resolutions of the 87th National Assembly in June 2007 requiring to resolve all the pending audit reports by the end of December 2007. The presentation was made on 7th January 2008 at the Cabinet Conference Hall, Gyalwong Tshogkhang, Thimphu. The Committee was chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bhutan.

The Auditor General informed the Committee that the basic purpose of the presentation of the AG’s Advisory Series on the eve of Tenth Five Year Plan was to create awareness amongst the bureaucrats on the problems in the construction and procurement activities and heavy losses incurred by the government as a result. Besides, these activities have been receiving and will continue to receive major chunk of the five year plan budgets. He informed the committee that the government could save significantly in the 10th Five Year Plan if such problems are rectified and the recommendations of the RAA are implemented.

The Committee appreciated the efforts of the Auditor General on bringing such issues to their notice and committed to deal with the problems appropriately. The Hon’ble Prime Minister instructed the members to take the issues and recommendations seriously and avoid such problems in future. The members also discussed on some of the possible strategies for dealing with the issues.
 

Joined more Auditors

January 10, 2008: The Royal Audit Authority’s manpower capacity is strengthened from 194 to 203 beginning from 1st of January 2008. Nine new auditors including five Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Management (PGDFM), three Information Technology (IT) Auditors, and one Civil Engineer joined the office.

A week long orientation programme is underway from 7th January 2008.  The internal auditors from the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) and the Royal Bhutan police (RBP) who are undergoing attachment course with the Royal Audit Authority are also attending the programme.

The core objective of such programme is to familiarize them with the Roles and Responsibilities, mandates and other activities of the Royal Audit Authority.

A total of 22 officers are attending the orientation programme.