By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

NEARLY a quarter-billion dollars in national security projects are in motion this fiscal year, according to Financial Secretary Simon Wilson, who spoke at a high-level conclave on Monday focused on improving financial accountability in government operations.

Among the capital investments: a $90m prison and court complex, $100m in Defence Force upgrades, $80–$90m for new fire trucks, and $60–$70m for a police administrative centre.

“There is no perception of bureaucracy,” Mr Wilson said in relation to the procurement of goods and services for the ministry. “The reality is, the law accommodates fast-track or confidential procurement because there are goods and services that, for various reasons, cannot be made public.”

The Ministry of National Security’s Multi-Agency Financial Accounting Conclave, held at SuperClubs Breezes, drew senior officers, procurement specialists, and finance officials from across the sector to tighten controls and improve interagency coordination.

Mr Wilson warned that fragmented decision-making, not red tape, is the real threat to efficiency.

“Too often we make decisions in silos,” he said. “We don’t see how one agency’s decision affects another.”

Sessions covered procurement compliance, fraud prevention, budgeting cycles, and an update on the Oracle Fusion Cloud system meant to streamline financial processes.