Executive Management Team

The Accountant General (Chief Accounting Officer) is appointed by the Governor General on advice of the Public Services Commission under section 15 of the Financial Administration& Audit Act (FAA Act).

The Accountant General is a legal entity consisting of a single incorporated office, occupied by a single person. This allows the corporation to pass vertically in time from one office holder to the next, giving the position legal continuity, with each subsequent office holder having identical powers as his/her  predecessor.

The Accountant General’s Department (AGD)has always stood as an important feature of Jamaica’s public sector architecture and of an institutional perspective that is characterized by a strong Centralized Treasury.

Over the decades we have evolved with the changing landscapes of dynamic markets, constant expansion and new technologies, however, our core role and mission has not changed. We continue to be the Government’s treasury by being the custodians of the public purse. In this era – characterised by re-centralized administrative capacity and centralized budgetary accountability – we are compelled to continually assess how well our current structures support our objectives into the long term and seek out opportunities to improve efficiency and automation while controlling and managing risk.

The Accountant General’s Department has risen to the challenge, particularly in the face of limited resources, to meet the demands of higher levels of efficiency and accountability, improved systems and a significantly higher level of customer service quotient in the staff of the department.  We must confront the new reality of an entity that has emerged from ‘behind-the-scenes’ to front and centre in the shifting governance dynamics. Simply put, a failure on our parts can impede trade, markets, disrupt people’s livelihoods and undermine public trust and confidence in governmental operations.

We are proud of the progress made with in the last financial year with the strengthening of the Central Treasury Management System through the modernization of the technological and physical infrastructure of the Accountant General Department under the Public Financial Management (PFM) reform project. We have made significant strides in the upgrade and implementation of systems aimed at modernizing of the Government of Jamaica’s (GOJ) public financial management and administrative systems. This provides us with the opportunity to create a more data-driven government that empowers our leaders to make better strategic decisions and provide greater assurance to the public by institutionalizing enhanced public financial management.

As an organisation, our commitment to serve the people of Jamaica must therefore find resonance in our daily attitudes and actions. We must serve the people with compassion and be prepared to go the extra mile especially for our pensioners who spent their working lives in the public service. Integrity should be our hallmark – doing the right thing at all times, being fair and just, readily admitting when we are wrong and promptly moving to correct a mistake.

The gravity of this office is not lost on me and I am honoured to serve as the Accountant General at this pivotal time. Let us endeavour to create a new organization characterised by commitment, service and integrity to meet the expectations of the people of Jamaica and an evolving public financial management landscape.

Anya Jones

Accountant General (Acting)