Public Accounts Committee to Hold Two Hearings in January on Auditor General’s Reports

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Cayman Islands Parliament will convene two public hearings on Thursday, 23rd January 2025, commencing at 10:00 a.m. and concluding by 4:00 p.m. The proceedings will be broadcast live on CIGTV and streamed on YouTube to ensure public accessibility.

The hearings will examine two reports from the Auditor General, Mrs. Sue Winspear, and will feature testimonies from key senior leadership witnesses from relevant departments within the civil service. The reports to be discussed are available for public review on the Office of the Auditor General’s website, auditorgeneral.gov.ky, though they have not yet been tabled in the Parliament, as the Standing Orders allows for the PAC to prepare its own report before the Auditor General’s report is laid on the table.

The morning session, beginning at 10:00 a.m. and concluding at 12:30 p.m., will focus on the Auditor General’s report, Financial Reporting of the Cayman Islands Government: General Report 31 December 2023, published in November 2024. Senior public and civil servants from the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands, the Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure, and the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority will attend as witnesses during the morning session. This report provides an in-depth analysis of the financial outcomes for the year 2023, including audit opinions and audit matters. It highlights key achievements while addressing concerns regarding the government’s financial reporting practices and the quality of financial statements.

The afternoon session, scheduled to run from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., will examine the Auditor General’s report, The Government’s Approach to Sustainable Economic Development, published also in November 2024. Senior civil servants from the Ministry of Finance & Economic Development, and the Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure, will attend as witnesses during the afternoon session. This report evaluates the government’s strategies and initiatives for fostering sustainable economic growth. It identifies successes as well as opportunities for improvement to support long-term economic stability and development.

The PAC is a standing committee of the Cayman Islands Parliament responsible for examining the public accounts and ensuring transparency and accountability in government financial operations. The current members of the PAC are:

• Hon. Roy M. McTaggart, JP, MP – Chair

• Hon. Heather D. Bodden, OCI, Cert. Hon., JP, MP – Member

• Ms. Barbara E. Conolly, JP, NP, MP – Member

• Hon. Joseph X. Hew, MP – Member

• Hon. Dr. W. McKeeva Bush, JP, MP – Member

• Mr. Bernie Bush, MP – Member

Members of the public are encouraged to tune in to stay informed about the work of the Parliament and the Public Accounts Committee. For more information, please visit the Parliament of the Cayman Islands website: https://parliament.ky/business/committees/public-accounts-committee/ .