NEWS IN brief

Antigua and Barbuda

Report on Government Accounts Submitted

In October 2002, the Director of Audit of Antigua and Barbuda submitted her report on government accounts for the years 1995-2000.

The Audit Department experienced many problems in auditing these accounts. However, with the assistance of Treasury Department consultants, the accounts are almost up to date.

The accounts for the years 1995-2000 were tabled before the House on October 22, 2002, and referred to the Public Accounts Committee. At press time, the Committee had not I taken final action to consider the accounts as required by law.

The Audit Department plans to complete the audit of the 2001 and 2002 government accounts within the current (2004) financial year.

For more information, contact: the Audit Department, fax: ++1 [phone]; e-mail: [e-mail].

Federal Republic of Germany

Annual Report Issued

The Federal Court of Audit, Germany's SAI, recently presented its 2003 report to the legislative bodies and the federal government. The report's 82 items reflect a major portion of the SAI's audit and advisory work. Most of the observations address highly topical issues that are still open for remedial action, indicating excess expenditures and potential additional revenues of some euro3,000 billion.

The annual report consists of five chapters: comments about federal appropriations and capital accounts for fiscal year 2002, contributions on specific audit findings, observations on advisory work done by the SAI, and comments on instances in which the executive branch of government has already followed the audit recommendations.

On November 25, 2003, the Court's President, Dieter Engels, presented the annual report to the public at a special press conference in Berlin. He commented on some key features of the report, such as soaring public debt, inefficient public management, lack of oversight and visibility, and shortcomings in tax collection.

The report also highlights the findings generated by audit examinations into federal grants to research institutes, private sector bodies, and welfare organizations. Frequently, contracts awarded to private sector bodies lack sufficient monitoring and control. When the Court looked into the federal agencies' mission performance, auditors found that there were no adequate incentives to encourage staff to ensure that funds are used efficiently and effectively.

The complete report in German can be accessed on the Court's Web site. Once the...