If there is any House committee that has left an indelible mark in the outgoing parliament, it is the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC). The no-nonsense group has done a lot in bringing government bodies to account and make sure that the annual Auditor General’s report is acted upon. The sheer summons by PAC made many government officials tremble as they were expected to answer some tricky questions. Officials had to be more than ready as PAC continued on its relentless journey of seeking the truth and accountability. Just last week, the committee petitioned the Prime Minister to immediately dismiss public servants who failed to account or did not fulfill their obligations over the last couple of years. Many a time government entities have landed on the wrong side of the AG’s report, year after year, but they didn’t suffer the consequences. In the past they just got off with a tap on the hand and a mere reprimand. Even threats by the Government that those who cause losses to the Government will pay from their pockets has either remained just that; threats. If there are cases where the threats have been implemented, there was hardly any publicity, to send a strong message to public officials that misusing government assets comes with a price. Even though the Government is well known for its zero tolerance for corruption, a few manage to slip through the nets and get away with illicit profits. That is where the next PAC should shift focus. The outgoing one set the bar high and matching it will need more than paying lip service; they will have to get their hands dirty digging into any suspicious murk.
