Conflict in Monde Tom's dual jobs

BISHO -- Top Bisho bureaucrat Monde Tom's dual job description could constitute a conflict of interest, a public accounts standing committee heard yesterday.

Tom is both finance department permanent secretary and secretary to the treasury. Auditor-general's office parliamentary manager Thinus Lourens told the committee "having two hats" would lead to a conflict of interest.

Lourens said finance was supposed to co-ordinate budgetary and expenditure activities, whereas treasury was a separate division that controlled the exchequer account and administered and controlled activities in departments.-- ECN