Can the northern group administrators lift their game?

Government needs a new strategy for improving the management of their assets and personnel in the northern group because the current strategy, whatever it is, is not effective.
A review by Audit Office from 24 August 2009 to 15 September 2009 found that the internal control procedures and management by island administrations in the northern group, was very poor.
Clearly, northern group administrators need to lift their game.
The findings are set out in Audit Office’s 4th quarter report, 1 April 2010 to 30 June 2010, Part 2, tabled in parliament on Thursday 29 July, commencing on page 385.
The review was of fixed assets, inventory and personnel expenses by northern local governments (Penrhyn, Rakahanga, Manihiki, Pukapuka-Nassau and Palmeston).
No review could be completed for Palmeston Island due to a dispute within the island government.
Of particular concern to Audit was that with the exception of Palmeston Island, none of the other local island governments kept personnel records for any of its staff. This meant Audit was unable to confirm;
-when a staff member was employed
-what their annual/sick leave entitlement was
-when they were due for long service leave; and
-the approved wage and salary rate for individual staff members.
As a result, many of the long serving public servants in these islands may not be receiving their full entitlements.
Audit Office has made appropriate recommendations to the island secretaries regarding remedial action to be taken but there are no recommendations concerning the overarching “human” issues of accountability, training, adherence to procedures and elimination of errors.
How to improve performance and eliminate errors are key issues.
Central government needs to see what help it can give northern administrators to lift their game.
A point of interest noted by Audit Office on page 5 of their 11 page report under 4.2(e) Lack of sign in timebook, was that,” not all staff were singing in the daily timesheet.”

By Charles Pitt

Herald Issue 463 10 June
- World famous activist assisting residents
- Budget will decide if residents prosecute Government over landfill
- Forestry project sucking Mangaia dry
- Budget 2010 – fiasco or disaster?