More than 100 residents have signed a petition for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into allegations of “Government fiscal impropriety and corruption”.However Premier Paula Cox said that steps already taken by her administration to address fiscal impropriety make it doubtful whether the petition will be given “credence”. The petition was launched online following The Royal Gazette’s story last week in which the Auditor General Heather Matthews voiced her scepticism that Government would apply sanctions provided for under Financial Instructions.Parts of the petition quotes Ms Matthews who said: “The Government’s Financial Instructions are and always have been clear about consequences for non-compliance.“Unfortunately, no one appears to have the fortitude to mete out the penalties/surcharge as a result of non-compliance.”Ms Matthews had spoken out after Supreme Court heard how top civil servant Marc Telemaque directed that public funds be given to Faith-Based Tourism boss Andre Curtis before a contract had been signed.In an interview yesterday afternoon, the Premier described the Auditor General’s comments as “out of whack” given her administration’s efforts so far on the governance front. “Under this administration, particularly since the administration has only been in office for a year, you have had the governance framework which actually institutes criminal sanction and you’ve also had legislation which makes breach of Financial Instructions actionable,” she said.“When she [Ms Matthews] was the Accountant General, and subsequently, there’s never been that recommendation or action. So, I think that under this administration you actually have seen that. So it really seems out of whack for a comment like that to be made. But I think that any question of a Royal Commission clearly will go to the relevant entity and I doubt that any relevant entity will even give that credence based on actions that have been taken.”Cabinet Secretary Donald Scott had already responded to Ms Matthews’s comments, stressing that disciplinary procedures under Financial Instructions are confidential an assertion disputed by the Opposition One Bermuda Alliance.Mr Scott’s statement noted that, “Penalties for misconduct and gross misconduct range from oral and written warnings to surcharge to reduction in rank to dismissal.“All of the sanctions have been used in the past and continue to be administered.”And he also cited some provisions of the Good Governance Act which was brought to the House of Assembly by the Premier.“In the instant case, Government officers stopped payments to the vendor for failure to deliver against the contract, involved the Bermuda Police Service in the investigation and gave evidence in court,” Mr Scott’s statement concluded. Ms Cox’s Good Governance Act gives extra powers for the director of Internal Audit to seize documents, introduces whistle-blower protection, and creates new offences for failing to disclose interests when awarding Government contracts.Among other measures, it set up the Office of Project Management and Procurement; a facility under Ms Cox’s personal watch designed to ensure contracts are handed out fairly. It also defines and outlines the role and responsibilities of Government financial officers under the financial instructions governing them.