Interior Supports Training for Island Government Finance Officers – Audits Improve, Reconciliation and Procurement Issues Remain

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs commends the Island Government Finance Officers Association (IGFOA) on the conclusion of their winter meeting—their second virtual meeting—which took place on March 23 and March 24, 2021, and focused on the release of fiscal year 2019 single audits.

“I’ve enjoyed meeting with all the island government finance officers who have attended the IGFOA meetings over the years,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Pula. “Accountability remains critical for each of the insular areas and I am pleased that we are able to continue the training and support the islands.”

With most of the island jurisdictions delivering their 2019 single audits within the extended 15-month deadline for 2020, the insular governments have achieved improvements to the quality of their audits. Over the last ten years the number of financial statement and federal compliance modifications (previously called ‘qualifications’) have declined by half, from a total of 60 to 31. However, basic financial statement reconciliations and procurement violations continue to be significant issues. While the amount of questioned costs were relatively low in fiscal year 2019 for most of the insular governments, the larger questioned cost amounts related to subgrantee monitoring and procurement.

The IGFOA winter conference convened approximately 70 finance officers and government finance officials from the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as the freely associated states, which comprises the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.

Funded through the Office of Insular Affairs Technical Assistance Program, the IGFOA works to build the local capacity of their respective government finance offices through biannual meetings that provide technical training and strategic support in public finance. Additional information on the IGFOA and the Pacific & Virgin Islands Training Initiatives can be found online at: http://www.pitiviti.org.

More information about the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs can be found at www.doi.gov/oia.

The Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, @InsularAffairs, and the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) carry out the Secretary of the Interior’s responsibilities for the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Additionally, OIA administers and oversees federal assistance under the Compacts of Free Association to the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Follow and “like” OIA on Facebook and subscribe to the OIA YouTube Channel.

###