The Greg Christie-led Integrity Commission has served notice of its intention to monitor the Government’s COVID-19-related expenses and contract awards.
This comes a day after the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) called on the commission or an appropriate state body to investigate a multimillion-dollar contract.
In a media release yesterday, the commission said it intends to conduct investigations “forthrightly and dispassionately”.
Given the “unprecedented levels of expenditures” that the Government has committed to spending in the COVID fight and what it intends to spend, the commission is obliged to fulfil its statutory obligations by responding in an “appropriate and likewise heightened manner".
In keeping with its statutory mandate, alongside international best practices, the commission’s monitoring programme will seek to ensure that there is “integrity, probity, accountability, and independent oversight” of the Government’s expenditure.