Mitch Turnbull (R-D2) and Delores Christopher (R-D5) will replace Marlon Penn (R-D8) and Archie Christian (R-at large) on the Public Accounts Committee after a vote Thursday in the House of Assembly.
The government backbenchers will join PAC Chairman and Opposition Leader Julian Fraser and First District Representative Andrew Fahie on the committee, which has responsibility for oversight of government spending.
The new appointments were necessary to make sure that Messrs. Penn and Christian, who were recently named junior ministers, can carry out their executive responsibilities in the legislature.
“Ministers can’t serve on the Public Accounts Committee,” explained Premier Dr. Orlando Smith. “As junior ministers they might be called upon to answer questions before the committee.”
Mr. Fraser thanked Dr. Smith for making the change to the committee as soon as possible after the junior minister posts were made. He also urged the premier to “do whatever is in his power” to make sure that government soon fills the post of auditor general, whose office works with the PAC in its oversight function.
See the Feb. 11, 2016 edition for full coverage.
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