TCI Parliamentarian reports on commonwealth workshop for Public Accounts Committees

(London, UK) – Monday, December 4, 2017 – Hon Akierra Mary Deanne Missick, Member for Leeward and Long Bay ED5, Providenciales, TCI is taking part in a 4-day commonwealth workshop to examine the government’s spending of public money and prevent tax avoidance and to promote tax transparency in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The 2017 Westminster Workshop for Public Accounts Committees (PACs) will bring together over 60 chairs, members and clerks of PACs from across the Commonwealth to offer practical, interactive sessions from 4-7 December in the Houses of Parliament of the United Kingdom. Hon. Missick is the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Assembly.

The skills-based workshop, which has been organized by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK (CPA UK), is aimed at further building the knowledge and capacity and will include a Tax Transparency Workshop by the OECD. CPA UK is providing partial funding for the attendance of Hon Missick as the House of Assembly’s international travel budget was recently frozen by the Ministry of Finance. Hon Missick will be a panel expert at the workshop presenting on the topic “Commonwealth Public Accounts Committees in Action – the TCI context”.

Hon Missick said “it is unfortunate that Hon John Phillips and Deputy Clerk Lydia Butterfield could not attend this workshop as planned due to the recent decision to freeze the House of Assembly’s travel budget. This workshop is invaluable for the development of an effective PAC in the TCI and building capacity for the House of Assembly staff.

I am grateful to the CPA UK for providing me the opportunity to engage other PAC chairs and clerks on best practices for an efficient and effective PAC through this workshop. Ensuring the ‘People’s Money’ in TCI is used in the manner intended as budgeted, procedures for expenditure are followed and ensuring there is value for money in Government spending is the PAC’s overarching concerns.”

The final day will be dedicated to the 1st Annual Conference of the Commonwealth Association of Public Accounts Committees (CAPAC), a committee designed to strengthen good governance.

Chair of the UK Public Accounts Committee, Meg Hillier said:

“The 2017 Westminster Workshop provides a unique opportunity for public accounts committees to discuss common challenges and experiences.

“I am pleased to see so many commonwealth PACs working together to strengthen and improve their Committee so taxpayers get the best value for money of public spending.”

Deputy Director of the OECD, Grace Perez-Navarro said:

“Good governance requires a good use of public money which is why I am pleased to be a part of the 2017 Westminster Workshop on Public Accounts Committees.”

Strengthening Commonwealth Public Accounts Committees

The Workshop follows on from a series of recent programmes to strengthen PACs in Commonwealth countries including Ghana and Montserrat will also have representatives participating in the Workshop.

Public Accounts Committees are aimed at examining public spending to ensure taxpayers money is spent effectively and efficiently.

After the agreement of the 2015 Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA), parliamentarians and policymakers nationally and internationally have become increasingly focused on strengthening tax policies and frameworks as a key means of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

CPA UK has supported the establishment of the Association throughout its initial formation period and has run the CAPAC Coordinating Unit (CCU) until January 2016. Currently, the CCU is hosted by the Parliament of Malta.

For further information, please contact:

Hon Akierra M D Missick, Chair

Public Accounts Committee

House of Assembly

Grand Turk