Government Audit Service key to promoting efficiency in the public sector

The Government Audit Service is rendering a great service to the nation by reducing waste and promoting efficiency in the state sector through its audit proceeding said Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development, addressing the 55th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Audit Service Association held in ICTAD Auditorium yesterday (6).

The Minister further said the history of auditing dates back to the Anuradhapura period. Inscriptions indicate that there was a very good auditing system during the ancient period. King Mahinda IV of the Anuradhapura period has clearly instructed the officers to strictly maintain audit procedures and work according to them.

“Government Auditors render their service with many difficulties. However their services bring good results in the government sector by maintaining financial discipline, proper accounting procedures and setting up checks and balances. Today’s auditing is not only concerned with balancing the accounts, but concerns the efficiency in utilising the human and physical resources”, the Minister further said.

The Government will soon take steps to establish the Sri Lanka Audit Service. This proposal will address the grievances of the auditors and provide a systematic recruitments and promotion scheme for the auditor, he said.