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<span style="font-style: italic">protegee to .....</span>AN EIGHT-page letter from Bank of Jamaica Governor Derick Latibeaudiere created a stir on Tuesday at the beginning of the oversight committee's meeting in Gordon House.
The letter to Dr Omar Davies in his capacity as chairman of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC), addressed a range of issues related to an audit of the bank by the Auditor General's Department,
Davies had started to comment on the contents of the governor's letter when committee member Everald Warmington stopped him to enquire whether copies would be distributed to members.
"I will take counsel on the matter," Davies replied.
However, Warmington argued that the letter was not written to the PAC chairman in his personal capacity and, therefore, he should provide other members with a copy.
He charged that, if the chairman had to "take counsel" on whether the letter should be shared with the committee, he should send it back to the governor.
"Confidential" information
Committee member Fitz Jackson argued that, as chairman, there might be "confidential" information that would come to Davies' attention that he could not divulge.
Davies concluded that he would consult with the governor to find out whether he had any objection to a copy of the letter being provided to committee members.
Turning to the contents of the letter, the committee chairman said the issues raised by the central- bank governor were not confined to the matters before the committee but transcended the issue.
He said the draft report of the auditor general, dated September 15, 2008, listed more than 20 issues to which the Auditor General's Department demanded answers.
According to the chairman, the governor's concerns were that the draft report named 28 of the bank's officers, including senior manage-ment, for alleged overpayments. He said those queries were answered and did not appear in the final report.
"What the governor raises is a fundamental issue that the draft report, without the benefit of the bank's comments, found its way in the print media."
Davies told his colleagues that what Latibeaudiere was suggesting was that, if proper checks had been done by the Auditor General's Gepartment, it would have avoided the embarrassment to 28 officers.
<span style="font-weight: bold">In the dark</span>
In a swift response, Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis indicated that she was left in the dark, without the benefit of reviewing a copy of the governor's letter, which Davies held close to his chest.
"I feel compelled to respond to that letter," Monroe Ellis said. "You have not seen it," Davies commented.
"Unfortunately, I have not been privy to such information," the auditor general replied.
Commenting on some of the governor's concerns highlighted by Davies, Monroe Ellis said there was nothing peculiar about the audit of the central bank, adding that a report was sent after an audit had been conducted.
According to the auditor general, a report was sent during an audit to garner information and to give the audited institution an opportunity to respond and to clarify any misunderstanding, if there was any.
She made it clear that there was no misunderstanding between the positions held by the BOJ and her department.
"It was communicated to the governor and his deputies the concerns raised during the audit. The information was not provided when requested, I communicated that directly to the governor," she said.
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