The governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is dismissing reports suggesting that trillions of dollars remain unaccounted for across various ministries.

The JLP in a statement described the reports as mischief and blatant lies, accusing members and supporters of the People’s National Party (PNP) of spreading propaganda.

“The PNP and a few of their surrogates in civil society, who have been spreading misinformation, are fully aware that this situation was initially flagged in 2012/2013 when the PNP was in office, when various expenditures were not subjected to an external audit by the Auditor General. These funds are not unaccounted for or missing. It is unbecoming of PNP surrogates to use traditional and social media to falsely suggest otherwise,” said Marlon Morgan, spokesperson for the JLP’s Communication Taskforce.

Morgan explained that ministries receive an allocation of money each year, based on what is approved by Parliament for expenditure by that ministry. He noted that ministries are required by law to prepare their appropriation accounts at the end of each financial year and make them available for audit by the Auditor General within four months following the end of the financial year, which ends in March.

A ministry’s Appropriation Account outlines the money spent by that ministry in a given financial year, compared to the amount Parliament authorised the ministry to spend in executing its work and programs.

Morgan noted that some ministries have yet to finalise their appropriation accounts so that they can be audited and certified by the Auditor General. However, he asserted, “The public can rest assured that, based on rigorous accounting procedures and protocols, as well as systemic checks and balances in the government’s financial management system, including the requirement that each ministry’s expenditure is accompanied by appropriate payment vouchers and other supporting documents, there are no missing or unaccounted-for public funds.”

Morgan emphasised that the JLP administration is taking steps to address the problem: “Ministries have been directed to build capacity and prioritise their appropriation accounts so as to secure the Auditor General’s certification as soon as possible. The Jamaica Labour Party recognises and readily appreciates that protracted delays in the preparation and certification of appropriation accounts require action and cannot be ignored. We are moving to fix this long-standing problem.”

The party further stated that any media report or commentary claiming that money allocated to ministries is missing or unaccounted for is false and irresponsible.