TCI Constitution

Public Accounts Committee 122. (1) There shall be a Public Accounts Committee of the House of Assembly which shall consist of— (a) at least three members of the House appointed by the Speaker from among members who are not Ministers; and (b) two persons expert in public finance who are not members of the House, one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker and one of whom shall be appointed by the Governor, acting in his or her discretion. (2) The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee shall be a member of the House of Assembly in opposition to the Government (without prejudice to the appointment of other such members to the Committee). (3) A person appointed under subsection (1)(b) shall cease be a member of the Public Accounts Committee— (a) at the expiration of the period for which he or she was appointed; (b) if he or she becomes a member of the House of Assembly; or (c) if the person who made the appointment revokes it, acting in his or her discretion. (4) If in respect of any item of business before the Public Accounts Committee the Governor, acting after consultation with the Speaker and the Chairman of the Committee, considers that a member of the Committee has a conflict of interests, the Governor, acting in his or her discretion, may appoint another person (whether or not a member of the House of Assembly) temporarily to replace that member of the Committee for the purpose of dealing with the business in question; and a member so replaced shall not sit on the Committee when the Committee is dealing with that business. (5) The Public Accounts Committee shall examine and report to the House of Assembly on— (a) the reports submitted to the Committee by the Auditor General under section 126(4); and © Crown Copyright 2014 Copying/unauthorised distribution strictly prohibited. Printed under Authority by The Regional Law Revision Centre Inc. www.lawrevision.ai  LAWS OF TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS Constitution CAP. 1.01 83 Revision Date: 31 Dec 2014 (b) such management letters and reports of the Auditor General as have been submitted to the Committee or as have been laid before the House or as the Auditor General has brought to the attention of the House, and shall have and exercise such other functions, and shall operate under such procedures, as are prescribed by this Constitution or as may be prescribed by Ordinance or by Standing Orders. (6) The Public Accounts Committee shall have power to compel the production of documents and evidence from Ministers, departments of government and public officers, and shall meet in public. (7) The Public Accounts Committee shall report to the House of Assembly by the date set by the House or by its terms of reference, whichever is the earlier; and except as otherwise provided in the Committee’s terms of reference, such a report may be with or without recommendations. (8) If the House of Assembly adopts a report of the Public Accounts Committee, and requests the responsible member of the Cabinet to advise the House of the action proposed to be taken by the Government in respect of the report, the member concerned shall convey the Government’s response to the House not later than the first sitting day following the expiration of six weeks after the date of the House’s request, unless the House extends the time for the response. (9) The Auditor General shall be adviser to the Public Accounts Committee, and the Committee shall not meet without the presence of the Auditor General or his or her nominee. (10) The Public Accounts Committee may invite any person to assist it in its work and to participate in its proceedings.