All overpayments recovered or cleared by contractors, Auditor General reveals

(Kaieteur News) – Public sector contractors have fully repaid or cleared all state overpayments identified in previous audit cycles, Auditor General Deodat Sharma revealed on Friday as he submitted his 22nd annual report on the nation’s public accounts to Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir.

The disclosure comes as the Audit Office moves toward real-time auditing of state disbursements, including public assistance cash grants and pension payments, to catch financial irregularities as they occur rather than relying solely on post-payment reviews.

“In terms of the overpayment for the past couple of years, if you notice, all overpayments have been recovered or the contractors have done their work,” Sharma said during a media conference following the formal presentation to Speaker Nadir, Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs, and members of the Public Accounts Committee.