Phil Sharman appointed as next Auditor General
The appointment was made by His Excellency the Governor, Mr John S. Duncan, OBE, under section 92(1) and 92(4) of the Virgin Islands Constitution, and acting in accordance with the advice of the Public Service Commission and after consultation with the Premier of the Virgin Islands, respectively. The appointment will take effect in August 2017.
The Auditor General administers and manages the process of monitoring the financial activities of Government departments and statutory bodies to ensure accountability of public funds and compliance with financial regulations and budgetary constraints.
In this capacity, Mr Sharman will audit the Government accounts produced by the Treasury Department and inquire into and audit the financial records of Government departments and ministries, plus statutory boards and trusts, to evaluate compliance with financial legislation and regulations. The Auditor General also serves as an advisory member of the Public Accounts Committee. He will function as the Accounting Officer for the Office of the Auditor General and will develop and implement strategic plans for its use.
The Auditor General will audit and report annually on the accounts of the House of Assembly and all Government departments and offices, including the Public Service Commission, the teaching Service Commission and the Police Service Commission.
Other responsibilities will include providing assistance to accounting officers in departments on their accounting and control systems to improve processes across Government.
Mr Sharman is currently the statutory Chief Auditor for St Helena responsible for promoting public accountability, advising the Public Accounts Committee, and providing assurance to stakeholders on the use of taxpayer funds through the audit of the financial statements of Government and other public bodies in St Helena.
He is a Chartered Public Finance Accountant with professional membership in both the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, and the Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand. He has extensive experience as a statutory external auditor having previously held director level roles with the Audit Commission and Audit New Zealand with reporting responsibilities across all major sectors including central government and state owned enterprises, local government, health and education.
Mr Sharman fills the post of Auditor General which was vacant since the retirement of the former incumbent in September 2015. The vacancy was followed by comprehensive recruitment rounds on three separate occasions to identify the best suited candidate.
Mr Sharman holds in-depth knowledge of United Kingdom Overseas Territories, having served as Chief Auditor in both St Helena and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
19 Responses to “Phil Sharman appointed as next Auditor General”
An inspired appointment!
I concur with your statement 100%. I mean no disrespect to the sitting permanent secretaries but they are just like rubber stamps. I suppose this is as a means of safeguarding their income.In a way I don't blame them because that set would get rid of them right away with the snap of a finger. Lord send help.
One Love!