Accountant General clarifies operations of Social Support Fund headed by First Lady

Today, the Accountant General of the Republic stepped in to clear the air about how a special fund is being managed. This fund, known as the Independent Social Support Body, is overseen by Philippa Karsera, the First Lady.

The reason for the statement was a letter from an MP of AKEL, raising concerns about the fund's operations. Specifically, there were worries about whether the fund was following all the rules set by the law.

Here's what the Accountant General had to say:

1. The fund needs to get its financial records sorted out and checked by the Auditor General by April 30th of the following year.
2. After that, the audited financial records need to be shown to the Council of Ministers through the Minister.
3. A copy of these checked financial records should also be kept with the House of Representatives and published in the Official Gazette.

It's important to note that this fund isn't just about numbers. It's used to help underprivileged families make sure their kids can go to school. Plus, it's branched out into other areas of charity work.

The Accountant General wanted to make sure everyone understood what was going on. They didn't want any misunderstandings from the MP's letter to the Auditor General about the Independent Social Support Fund.

He said they followed all the rules and got the financial records to the Auditor General on time.

The Accountant General also mentioned that even though the MP's letter talked about old financial records that still need checking, they'll share them with the House of Representatives and put them in the Official Gazette once they're ready.

He also pointed out that no benefits were given out for the second part of the school year in 2023-2024. They'll share a list of benefits with the House of Representatives later.

The Accountant General ended by saying that they're committed to being open, fair, and responsible in all their work. They've even put the rules for picking people on their website. So, it's clear they're serious about being open and fair in everything they do.