Final report from Auditor-General on Immigration Department still pending

Candelaria Saldivar

The Auditor-General’s department has been inside the Immigration Department since October 2013, allegedly to get to the bottom of the corruption. While the public remained unaware, a preliminary report on the findings of the comprehensive audit was submitted to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Immigration on March twenty-first, 2014. So what’s in that report? That’s anybody’s guess, since it remains under wraps at this time. Hulse says that his C.E.O., Candelaria Saldivar, has responded to concerns expressed by the Auditor-General, and now all parties are anxiously awaiting the final report.

Godwin Hulse, Minister of Immigration

“In any audit situation, and the Auditor-General is no different, a report is normally sent to the executive, in any private company or anything for them to have a look see to say what they’re going to see, and that is generally followed up by a management letter, to see if you agree or don’t agree with certain things. There are some things you may or may not agree with, or may answer one way or another. I think that’s the stage where the Auditor-General report is. It was sent to the Prime Minister. Of course it’s not the Prime Minister who will respond…it’s the C.E.O. in the Ministry, who is Mrs. Candy Saldivar-Morter. And I think she has already responded to the Auditor-General so the process now goes on and what we are looking for now is her final report.”

Reporter

Godwin Hulse

“Is there any chance that there will be attempts to prevail upon the Auditor-General, as one often does with an auditor, to move away from certain adverse conclusions?”

Godwin Hulse

“Not as far as I am concerned. I hope she just says it as it is.  I want to be crystal clear…it’s not going to be trying to change or convince any adverse thing which is detrimental. I know for a fact, for example, the Auditor-General has complained about timelines for response. But she hasn’t determined what the issue was. And I know the C.E.O. has explained the timelines for response. In the case of certain documents which she says were difficult for her to get, it was because they were with the Police, and there is only one set of documentation. So they’re with the Police, and I think she has explained that they were handed over to the Police on such a date, you asked for them on such a date, we had to request them back from the Police…that sort of thing. If you call that adverse…well that is where she has explained some of those issues.”