The Scandal of Tourism Board

The Tourism Board was criticised again by the Director of Audit concerning its lavish spending. The same kind of issue was raised about two years ago. This is alarming and raises doubt over the management capabilities of the board. I think this event raise some more profound issues required critical review by the executive council.

Firstly, we do not seem to have an appropriate body to perfrom the task of the ‘watchdog’. The Audit Commission only carries out checking every year. The same issue concerning the Tourism Board’s lavish spending was raised some two years ago without any follow up action, by an appropriate body. It is easy for the management of the Tourism Board to issue concern statement but without taking any ratification action. Something is wrong with the system of auditing.

Secondly, the same principle should apply to all such quasi-authorities. There is an urgent need to have them watched and monitored in a more stringent manner. HOw much more taxpayer money do we want to be wasted before taking appropriate action? Wouldn’t it better to spend those money to set up a ‘watchdog’ commission to perform such task? I would urge the executive council to seriously review this matter, in a comprehensive manner and not just aiming at the Tourism Board. The focus should be on the defect of the current ‘watchdog system’.

Let’s act on this and stop wasting the taxpayer’s money.