The RMI government’s passport program was put under the microscope Tuesday this week with the opening of a week of Nitijela Public Accounts Committee hearings on various audit reports of RMI-related entities. Among key issues that sparked comments and discussion was the finding by the Auditor General’s office that 573 passports were issued without proper […]
HILARY HOSIA The first Government Employee Forum took place Monday at the International Conference Center with President Hilda Heine, Public Service Commission Chairman Donald Capelle, Chief Secretary Benjamin Graham and Auditor General Junior Patrick speaking and engaging with employees in question and answer sessions. Deputy Chief Secretary Abacca Anjain-Maddison emceed the event, which featured the […]
GIFF JOHNSON New Chief Secretary Ben Graham is focused on ramping up performance and accountability in the RMI government to implement President Heine’s Agenda 2020 objectives. Graham took up the Chief Secretary role in mid-August. He is focused on “strengthening government performance” by developing systems and compliance structures. Key areas of action that Graham is […]
Auditors listed 12 problem areas in the fiscal year 2016 audit of the Marshall Islands government, a report submitted to Nitijela last month by RMI Auditor General Junior Patrick. The audit of the national government and all its agencies — except two, MIVA and RMI EPA, which were not ready — shows that the Ministry […]
Forty-four complaints of illegal actions on the part of government workers and officials have been lodged with the Auditor General’s office over the past two years. In his latest report to Nitijela, issued last week, RMI Auditor General Junior Patrick said his office received “13 new allegations related to bribery in official matters, check forgeries, […]
HILARY HOSIA Here are a few highlights from this week’s Committee of the Whole session from the ongoing Constitutional Convention at the International Conference Center. • Majuro Delegate Yolanda Lodge-Ned wants to prevent candidates with felony charges in their history from running for Nitijela, adding that the current law allows felons who did time to […]
HILARY HOSIA The Public Accounts Committee launched nine days of hearings Tuesday at the Nitijela Conference Room with the Auditor General and Ministry of Finance first up on the agenda. Based on rapid inquiries from members of the committee chaired by Likiep Senator Leander Leander, Jr., the session heated up minutes after starting. But as […]
The audit for Wotje Atoll Local Government said $60,000 in funding from a Japan grant for the construction of a community center was misappropriated (embezzled) in the 2009-2014 period. Checks for $40,000 and $20,000 were issued to a company for building materials, but “based on our review of the supporting invoices, they appear fictitious as […]
Over $100,000 in cash for copra payments may have been stolen from Tobolar by employees, according to the most recent Deloitte audit of the agency. A total of $27,077 in leftover copra cash was not returned to Tobolar by employees, and another $80,000 is unaccounted for, the audit said. It pointed out that Tobolar issues […]
The Auditor General’s office has increased the number of people working but is still significantly short of its goal of 21 people needed to deliver financial and performance audit, and investigate corruption and fraud. It now has 15 staff on board. In Auditor General Junior Patrick’s report to Nitijela that accompanied delivery of multiple completed […]
