The 2010 Report of the Auditor General was tabled in Parliament today.Auditor General Heather Jacobs Matthews said the report was delayed because the Audit Committee had not performed its duties in 2011And she expressed concerns about the Government’s failure to prepare consolidated financial statements for Bermuda and the lateness of financial reporting.The Report highlights the strategic focus and plans for the Office of the Auditor General. This most recent report covers the audit work for financial years ending March 31, 2009 and 2010.Said Mrs Jacobs Matthews: “Until consolidated financial statements are produced, there is a risk that users of the financial statements of Bermuda’s Consolidated Fund may mistakenly view them as the consolidated financial statements of the Government.”She continued: “While there was a marked improvement in the quality and timeliness of information presented for the audit of the 2009 Consolidated Fund financial statements, these improvements did not extend to the financial statements of other Government-controlled entities, funds, parish councils and aided schools.”She described the state of accounting and reporting of the government’s pension funds as “unacceptable”.And she strongly recommended that “permanent secretaries responsible for the organisations concerned and the respective boards should take all possible steps to bring financial statement preparation up to date as soon as possible”.The Ministry of Finance issued a statement following the Report’s release.Premier Paula Cox noted the tone of the Report was “restrained” compared with previous years and said it would lead to “improvements in the stewardship of the public purse”.“This partnership definitely bodes well for the Government as good governance has been a priority of mine since I was appointed Premier in November 2010,” she said. “As Minister of Finance, I have spent a considerable amount of my time fighting for Bermuda's credibility around the world, and we have made good progress.“The introduction and passage of the Good Governance Act 2011 and, now, the Good Governance Bill 2012, underscored our commitment to enact measures geared to strengthen financial accountability in Government and to enhance our governance framework. We wish to communicate a strong and clear message to the public that Government has zero tolerance for behavior and practices that do not accord with the highest standards of good governance.”