Auditor General's report still concerned over handling of lotto funds
$1.53B spent so far
Stabroek News
December 10, 2002
The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) is continuing to express concerns over the handling of the state's share of the lottery company proceeds and as of December 31, 2001, $1.73B was received and $1.53B was expended.
In its report on the Public Accounts for 2001, the OAG said that proceeds from the operations of the Guyana Lottery Company (GLC) continue to be kept in a special bank account to meet public expenditure. "Such proceeds are public revenues which are required to be paid into the Consolidated Fund", the OAG noted in its report which was tabled in the National Assembly during a special sitting at the Ocean View Hotel on Thursday.
The account had been established in 1995 to receive 24% of the gross revenues of the GLC which constituted the government's share of the proceeds and the OAG had voiced disquiet in its 1999 and 2000 report over the handling of the funds which have recently gone towards the funding of projects under the President's Youth Choice Initiative.
A discussion had taken place with the government over the issue and the report noted that it was agreed that at the end of each year transfers would be made to the Consolidated Fund covering the amount of funds utilised from the Lotteries Account. Supplementary estimates would then be presented in Parliament to secure approval of the expenditure and its recording in the Public Accounts.
In 2001, $211.7M was transferred to the Consolidated Fund and $240M was provided under Division 526 - subhead 45009 which is the President's Youth Choice Initiative.
As of December 31, 2001, sums totalling $1.73B were received from the lottery company while payments to the tune of $1.53 were made yielding a closing balance of $200M.
So far, in Regions 1-8 and 10, $339.5M was expended for the rehabilitation of sports facilities.
The Ministry of Health and Labour accounted for $303.4M for overseas assistance in health care, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport received $302.6M for Mashramani activities and upgrading of sports facilities, the Office of the President got $59.8M for the repair of State House and the Teaching Service Commission building and the Civil Defence Commission secured $36M for the purchase of tractors and trailers.
The Guyana Defence Force garnered $13.8M for the sprucing up of its sports ground, the Ministry of Human Services got $11M for the Help and Shelter building, the Ministry of Information received $6M for a video library and the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation expended $1M for the broadcasting of the Olympic Games.
The category of "others" accounted for $254M which comprised directors' fees and assistance to other organisations.
