Tuesday, May 28, 2024
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
TERRANCE Bastian is retiring as auditor general after 24 years in the position.
During his time in the key watchdog position, his office often released reports that were critical of fiscal management under both PLP and FNM administrations.
He recently drew criticism after his office released reports into last year’s CARIFTA and Jubilee Games.
Mr Bastian said he is satisfied with his tenure and reached the retirement age.
During his time, he advocated for more funding from the government and achieved limited success in this regard.
“The basic need really is resources, and those resources are personnel, bodies, persons and increased technology so that we could be more efficient and effective in producing our reports,” he told reporters during a rare interview last year.
He said his office had 40 auditors responsible for auditing more than 70 government departments.
Comments
birdiestrachan says...
Mr Bastain enjoy the rest of your God giving life, you sure did catch a whole lot of hell from human kind
Posted 28 May 2024, 6:50 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
**What was the purpose of the $10.2+ million?**.... During 24 years his office received Financial Disclosures from 800+ House-elected MPs', 336+ Politically Appointed Senators, 2400+ Senior Civil Servants.-- And in the colony's **key watchdog position, not even a single recommendation for prosecutorial review** out of **3,536** Financial Disclosures **filings or failures to file was made.** -- Not a single person **were fired, disciplined, demoted or made to resign.**--Yet, it cost the Popoulaces'Purse **$10.2+ million.**--Yes?
Posted 28 May 2024, 11:34 p.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
Sadly, the only reason Terrance Bastian held his auditor-general job for 24 years is because the leadership of PLP and FNM governments over that span of time knew they could count on him not to aggressively tackle corruption, waste, fraud and outright theft within government departments and agencies. He kept his job for 24 years by making it a point to not rock the boat too much. But preserving his job came at very dear cost to the financial well-being of our nation.
The auditor-general job takes a tenacious blood hound who is tirelessly dedicated to sniffing out and aggressively acting on the most egregious instances of corruption, waste, fraud and outright theft within government departments and agencies involving millions of dollars. One who is not afraid to let the chips fall where they may notwithstanding the political heat. We can only hope and pray that Terrance Bastian's replacement is such a fearless blood hound.
Posted 30 May 2024, 9:06 p.m. Suggest removal
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