When Barbados’ long serving, former auditor general, Leigh Trotman, warned that the island’s top watchdog is being kept on a leash, it was something to which people should pay attention.
At a recent panel discussion at the Courtney Blackman Grand Salle, held to mark the 170th anniversary of the Barbados Audit Office, the current acting auditor general, Linda Carter, revealed that the office responsible for keeping public finances in check had more than 30 vacancies, should also have been a point at which to pause.
Moreover, when both of them outlined that some ministries routinely delayed, or dodged on providing critical financial information, it reinforced their call for the Barbados Audit Office to be made a fully independent body under the law in order to fulfill its mandate.
In the discussion, which was themed 170 Years of Integrity – The Importance of the Office of the Auditor General in 2025 and Beyond, the auditor general remarked: “In many cases, the information is just not made available to the auditors… I think that that is a challenge that has grown over time.”
If the Audit Office is responsible for safeguarding the public purse and cannot access the information it needs, then the entire process is weakened and seriously undermined.
For decades, the Audit Office quietly carried out its mandate in difficult circumstances. It has produced reports showing waste, inefficiency and questionable use of funds. Yet each year, the same barriers remain in the way of the department’s efforts at ensuring transparency and accountability in public financing.
The Constitution may require government departments to provide timely financial statements, but Trotman made it clear that this constitutional obligation is often honoured in the breach. He argues that without enforcement powers, the office is too often forced to wait, plead, or escalate through cumbersome channels.
As Trotman put it: “The office needs to have its own legal representation.” Currently, it relies on the Attorney General, “our chief legal officer,” a situation he contended could be “a serious problem.”
How can the watchdog seek legal action against a government ministry if it must first go through the government’s attorney? Real independence for the Auditor General’s Office should mean having its authority to act without fear or favour.
Carter highlighted that “responses can come in that do not address the issues that were raised.” This is a subtle but effective form of obstruction — delays disguised as dialogue.
But the most astonishing revelation was the staffing crisis. Carter reported there were 31 vacancies in an already lean department.
This does not appear to be a small gap but a critical shortfall. “We do not have the authority on which to hire,” she explained, describing a situation where vacancies remained unfilled while experienced auditors were being snapped up by the private sector.
The Audit Department boss noted: “It is not attractive enough to keep some people.”
The question must be asked: how is the Audit Office expected to deliver timely, thorough, professional reports when a third of its positions are vacant?
An under-resourced Audit Office is a major problem for a country that seeks to be progressive in other areas but turns its back on the department that is the financial watchdog of government.
The panel also raised concerns about the effectiveness of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Parliament’s mechanism for reviewing the Audit Office’s findings. Carter noted that the PAC met only a few times before “things broke down.” Trotman agreed but insisted that those responsible “have to make it work.” A PAC that does not meet, does not review, and does not follow up could be accused of abdicating its responsibility.
What is remarkable is despite these obstacles, the Audit Office has come a long way and has served the country well. Trotman described its work as providing value-for-money audits and evaluating government efficiency.
“People have a better idea of how government uses their money,” he said, and that is critical to building public trust.
The work of the office cannot rest on goodwill alone. The country must ensure that arrangements are put in place to ensure that we have an Audit Office that fulfills its responsibilities and is given teeth needed to enforce. That includes updating the laws and providing the human resources this valuable department requires.
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