Unhappy as Larry

They say that you should never ascribe to malice anything that can adequately be explained by incompetence. So in the case of the travails of Auditor General Larry Dennis, which is it?

In recent days his department has been abruptly relocated to a smaller, unprepared office space, and been the target of an audit request from then-Acting Finance Minister David Burch. It was even rumoured that he was to be served a compulsory land purchase order to permit the widening an access road used by Deputy Premier Ewart Brown.

Lt. Col. Burch has since admitted that he overstepped his bounds as an Acting Minister and apologised for demanding that the auditor be audited. He also gave a plausible denial of the compulsory purchase order rumour. The botched office move, however, has not yet been adequately explained.

Malice or incompetence? Perhaps it's a bit of both.

Comments

[novote on 30.05.06 at 22:33]

Naaaaaaaaa

[save d cut on 30.05.06 at 22:44]

I think the move is warrented. Government spends millions on property rental per annum. If they are attempting to consolidate Governmet offices into Government owned space or less expensive rental accomodations, is that not best for the public purse in the long run?

[The Limey on 30.05.06 at 23:03]

save d cut

I have no problem with the Government trying to save money in this way. But moving someone out of their old office before their new office is useable is incompetent at best.

[save d cut on 30.05.06 at 23:12]

Touche Limey.
Shouldn't they have three months notice too?

[RedOnion on 31.05.06 at 08:00]

I used to work for Goevernment and remember too well how hard it was to get hold of anyone from W&E on a Friday afternoon. I'm very happy to see that they are now more efficient and can make and execute major decisions at 4pm on a Friday. I am impressed that they can get staff to work overtime to make this move at such short notice.

Yeah right.

[Zoom on 31.05.06 at 08:13]

Malice? From David Burch? Whodathunkit?

[abc on 31.05.06 at 08:39]

I work in the same building as the auditor general and we have known since february that they had to move towards the end of May. So I am sure he knew as well.
I don't know where the ball was dropped. But I think its all being blown a bit out of proportion. From what I understand they do have somewhere to go - they are one floor below where they were. Its a smaller area but usable for the interim.

[OnDeWata __/)__ on 31.05.06 at 09:10]

Good call abc...

A mate of mine works in that building too. His firm are actually taking over the AG's space, so eveyone in the area has know about this move for quite a while.
As abc says, they are meant to move down 1 floor in the SAME building, so rental issues can't be called into question.

The timing sounds more like disorganization than a plot!!!

[myshreecents on 31.05.06 at 09:29]

Well abc has made it clear that people knew of this moved since February. Maybe your zeal to support Larry Dennis has clouded you judgement Limey. The government is trying to cut back on a huge rental bill. Maybe, just maybe the Auditor General and his staff have not been completly honest about this situation and maybe, just maybe Limey you should think twice sometime before taking up a cause especially when the story is generated from the RG. The issue here is change and we know just how people feel about that.

[SmokingGun on 31.05.06 at 10:13]

Given the fact that the Colonel called for the audit whilst he had a few hours of being in charge of Paula's office I'd say Larry (and Bermuda) might easily see the way this was handled as an antagonistic jibe not just blundering incompetence.

BTW - I wonder how Paula must have felt after finding out what Burchos was up to whilst she was off island hob-knobbing in DC. I know I would have had a flippin bird.

[smith on 31.05.06 at 10:55]

". The government is trying to cut back on a huge rental bill. Maybe, just maybe the Auditor General and his staff have not been completly honest about this situation and maybe"

...and maybe, just maybe, if the offices were ready, you know with working telephones and computers...needed to do their jobs. Then maybe, there wouldn't be an issue.

"Maybe your zeal to support the corrupt and incompetant government has clouded you(r) judgement"

[smith on 31.05.06 at 10:57]

By the way, the money they 'save' on rent...where does that go? Maybe it goes into the $800 million dollar missing money pot? Or perhaps for renovations on the 'p's house?
Maybe "myshreecents" is getting a kickback...you'll never know with such a dishonest "leadership" though.

[SmokingGun on 31.05.06 at 11:10]

I guess the government wasn't doing this move to save rent. They were told their lease would not be renewed by the land-lord and could be accomodated in the floor below. Sounds like nothing more than a typical half assed last minute knee jerk reactionary action by our government.

[Pitts Bay on 31.05.06 at 11:17]

I suppose the biggest concern I have over the whole matter is the Col. Burch was even appointed Acting Minister of Finance - what the hell was Paula (or whoever came up with this)thinking - the man isn't even elected (or even electable!) for christ's sake!!!

[silencedogood on 31.05.06 at 11:31]

Why is the auditor dependent on W&E for their facilities?

Should a truly independent Auditor's office be independent in all things so this stuff doesn't happen, even if it was merely another example of incompetence?

[loki on 31.05.06 at 11:51]

Although Burch's attempt to audit the AG's offices within hours of assuming the role of Acting Minister of Finance was, no doubt, politically motivated and wholly inappropriate, I cannot help but think that Larry Dennis is blowing things entirely out of proportion with regard to this office move. Everything points to the fact that the AG knew about the move and, whilst he might not have been happy with it, it would seem that he has been so aware for quite some time. Larry Dennis has chosen to carry out his role of late with increasing degrees of hyperbole, to the extent that I now tend to take what he says with a grain of salt.

[RedOnion on 31.05.06 at 13:00]

Assuming that Larry Denniss did know about the move, and that is a reasonable assumption, whouldn't any Dept Head refuse or at least object to move into premises that are not prepared, i.e., no phones, no computer service etc? I am sure that if he had agreed to move into the unready offices he would have been branded as a poor leader of his department, with the staff twiddling their thumbs until services are installed. I still don't see any rational explanation for W&E announcing at 4pm that they are moving the offices immediately.

Call me unrealistic but surely the blame here lies with W&E's organizing skills.

[Trebliso on 31.05.06 at 13:25]

I wouldn't be surprised if Pol Burch sprung the timing of the move on the AG as does seem to be losing his marbles a bit at the moment viz his petulant attempt to examine the finances of the AG in Paula's absence.

[sandgrownan on 31.05.06 at 13:33]

What an idiot, and an unelected one at that.

[Rossini on 31.05.06 at 14:49]

Loki you are right on point. The fact that Dennis has taken this whole thing to the press and has further ordered his staff to refuse assistance until his return speaks volumes. This man has long lost his ability to be independent. He has been in post for 20 years which in itself is unheard of. Even the Ombudsman has only an 8 year term, 10 in some other countries. I don't blame Burch....what's Dennins gonna do.....write a report against the government.....duh !

[Two Cents on 31.05.06 at 14:57]

"the man isn't even elected (or even electable!) for christ's sake!!!"

Excuse the ignorance, but why is Col. Burch "not even electable"?? Any idiot can run for office I thought, judging by some of our elected officials.

[Trebliso on 31.05.06 at 14:58]

"the man isn't even elected (or even electable!) for christ's sake!!!"

Excuse the ignorance, but why is Col. Burch "not even electable"?? Any idiot can run for office I thought, judging by some of our elected officials.

Posted by Two Cents on 31.05.06 at 14:57

I think "Completely Unfit for Office" is the correct term.

[jsmith on 31.05.06 at 14:59]

Rossini...Purvis or Dellwood?

[loki on 31.05.06 at 15:14]

"Loki you are right on point. The fact that Dennis has taken this whole thing to the press and has further ordered his staff to refuse assistance until his return speaks volumes. This man has long lost his ability to be independent. He has been in post for 20 years which in itself is unheard of. Even the Ombudsman has only an 8 year term, 10 in some other countries. I don't blame Burch....what's Dennins gonna do.....write a report against the government.....duh !"

Mr. Dennis appears to have become quite the drama queen of late. Most recently, we had his completely misleading and over-the-top statement that some $800M was unaccounted for by government (untrue: 'unaccounted for', which suggests that $800M is missing, is not the same as 'unaudited'), then his either completedly uninformed or completely dishonest/misleading statements with regard the the tax arrears alleged to be due from the proprietors of the Fortune Corner bookmakers.

I'm relectant to take anything he says at face value these days, unfortunately.

[abc on 31.05.06 at 15:20]

And his staff are walking between floors carrying all their supplies and deskware etc by hand...

[Canuck in Bermuda on 31.05.06 at 15:25]

"And his staff are walking between floors carrying all their supplies and deskware etc by hand..."

Whatever funny business there may or may not be here... I think that qualifies under "awww, mufffinnnnnnnn". I don't expect them to haul desks and furniture around, but surely they can handle the contents of said desk?

[loki on 31.05.06 at 15:28]

From the hyperbole of Dennis's reaction, one would almost think that he was accusing Burch of killing the Lindbergh baby......

[SmokingGun on 31.05.06 at 15:31]

Burch killed the Lindbergh baby?

Jeeesh, this guy will do anything.....

[Rossini on 31.05.06 at 17:51]

jsmith you lost me...the lack of posts from the Usual Suspects on this tells the real story. People know that Larry Dennis is out of control. He is so overtly partisan as to make on wonder how he can remain in his post. Imagine...you criticise the government for spending too much money on office space and using offices that far exceed the needs of the departments who occupy them.....but oh wait, that doesn't apply to me....I meant everybody else.This guy needs to scoop up his OBE and get cracking.

[jsmith on 31.05.06 at 18:17]

"jsmith you lost me"

...and got my answer.

"He is so overtly partisan as to make on wonder how he can remain in his post."

I guess he's trying to balance out the overly partisan and corrupt government.

"This guy needs to scoop up his OBE and get cracking."
And go where?

Your premier need to go as well, as many have posted....but you dont' see that, of course, because you're a hypocrite.

[RedOnion on 31.05.06 at 20:30]

I may be old but I remember clearly that Larry Dennis was just as critical of the former UBP Government as he now is of the PLP Gov't. At that time Mr Dennis was the darling of the PLP since he was doing a lot of their homework for them. In my eyes (I have never met Mr Dennis) he is doing his job now just as he was under the former Government.

[LADear on 29.07.06 at 12:46]

Just a general comment: Any professional, who has been doing the same job for 20 years, for the same client, needs a change because it's highly probable the job they're doing no longer does what the real job needs, i.e. what the real job has evolved into. Again, speaking of professionals who are long-timers: What these folks manage to pull off is the appearance of conformity to external business/government changes that have taken place during the last few decades. But, when you start digging into the details of their work you usually find they are no longer technically competent because they haven't had to be. Somewhere along the way technical ability parted company from the appearance of technical ability. In the early years of their employment they mastered the short-cut's (in pursuit of auditor efficiency - auditors can't audit 100% of the population) and years later they're still utilizing the same check-list approach once deemed effective. Without new blood at the top your junior auditors aren't supported in a procedural re-evaluation from the ground-up in order to determine whether or not the short-cut's i.e. check-lists are still effective. This issue is one reason why in public accounting, in the U.S., engagement partners must change clients at least every 7 years. A change in leadership is necessary so that leadership doesn’t get too comfortable. No auditor’s role is comfortable, if it is then something is very, very wrong.
I say this without familiarity of the General Auditor's performance - what I am communicating is usually true but there have been exceptions. Is he really one?

[americanbermudian on 29.07.06 at 17:23]

LADear, I think you're right. Familiarity in auditing can be a recipe for trouble (missed mistakes and/or fraud). But at the same time there is the counter-argument that if you have shorter terms you are likely to end up with auditor generals who are not entirely independent of government and/or who will have a tendency of being more lax in exchange for being voted to the position.
To make everyone happy, then, let's have the private sector take over the job - have one of the big four (KPMG, PwC, Deloitte & E&Y) do the job and rotate every few years. That would probably be much more effective & make a lot of people a lot happier (granted, the accounting firms in particular).

[SmokingGun on 29.07.06 at 17:32]

In a place the size of Bermuda it would make a lot of sense to have it farmed out to a big company. Mind you seeing the way our Government hands out it's contracts these days I'd be suspect on who ended up getting the job and what it's findings would be. Jeesh - I have got to find a way to be less cynical.