Special reports into controversial Government projects are being held back because of the Audit Committee’s failings, Shadow Finance Minister Bob Richards claimed yesterday.Mr Richards said high-profile investigations into how taxpayer dollars were spent on Heritage Wharf and Coco Reef are on the back burner while Auditor General Heather Matthews battles to get her annual reports into the public domain.The One Bermuda Alliance MP also believes Government has breached its loan covenant because of its failure to provide audited financials.Ms Matthews has been unable to publish her annual reports for 2008/09 and 2009/10 because poor attendance and conflicts of interest meant the Audit Committee didn’t perform its duties in 2011; the Auditor is not able to deliver them to the House of Assembly until they’ve been reviewed by the Committee.Mr Richards has suggested the Committee deliberately stopped Ms Matthews from filing her reports because they contain fiscal information which would embarrass Government in the run-up to a general election.Junior Finance Minister David Burt last night said that suggestion is irresponsible and shows the Opposition is prepared to risk the Country’s reputation to score political points.In a statement yesterday, Mr Richards said: “Several special reports that the Auditor General has generated are also being held up by these delays, including reports promised on Heritage Wharf and Coco Reef.“These are matters of public interest and reflect on Bermuda’s state of good governance and transparency.“If the Government is deliberately interfering with the timely execution of Auditor General’s constitutional function, then it would be a very serious matter, hurting Bermuda’s standing as a responsible democracy, damaging our reputation among those who might think of doing business here and eroding the confidence of Bermudians and foreigners alike in the prospects for our Country.”Responding to criticism that residents have been left in the dark over its fiscal record, Government said on Wednesday that it had released “financial performance numbers of the past financial year” in its Pre-Budget Report in December.Yesterday Mr Richards described that claim as a half truth.“That information represented mere headlines to the financials, the details of which have yet to be revealed,” he said.“Moreover, those numbers have not received the stamp of approval of the Auditor General.“In fact it is my understanding that Government’s loan facilities have a covenant that requires the provision of audited financials six months after the year end: that would be last September 30.“Since the audit is still not complete, there appears to have been a breach of that loan covenant.”Senator Burt responded last night: “Having reviewed the latest comments from Mr Richards it is clear that the OBA is comfortable stretching the facts in order to achieve political gain.“To imply the Government is deliberately interfering with the Office of the Auditor General is irresponsible, but not unexpected from an Opposition that creates fantasy and is willing to put the reputation of the Country at risk to score political points.“As was stated by the Ministry of Finance yesterday, it is expected that the Audit Committee will meet in the near future to conclude its work so that the Reports of the Auditor General on the Work of the Office of the Auditor General and on the Accounts of the Government of Bermuda can be tabled and released to the public as per the Audit Act 1990.“I’d also like to reiterate that the Audit Committee is appointed by the Governor and the Minister of Finance is only an ex-officio member this Committee.“The Audit Committee meets at the direction of its chairman and not the Minister of Finance. To imply otherwise, as the Opposition has tried to do, is simple mischief making in advance of an election.”