KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The role of the Accountant General’s Department (AGD) has been expanded as the Government moves to centralise its revenue.

Accountant General, Carlene Murdock, said beginning this month, the AGD will receive revenue from the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) and Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ), which are the principal receivers of revenue.

“It is another phase of the centralisation or the consolidation of cash resources in the Government of Jamaica’s account. What this means is that the Government will have a better handle as to what, where and the amount of resources it has at its disposal,” she explained while speaking at a JIS Think Tank on Friday.

In addition, as of October 2016, the AGD has been executing a new function, Banking and Authorisation, which was transferred from the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service. This means the AGD now approves all requests for banking facilities from ministries, departments and agencies.

Meanwhile, approval was granted for a new division of the AGD, which the Accountant General said will see it develop into a modernised treasury.

“We have in that structure a division called the Government Accounting and Reporting Division (GARD). That division will be making and doing reports on all government business in the county,” informed Murdock.