Government's annual financial statements will be released faster than ever before, Accountant General Anthony Richardson told Hamilton Rotarians yesterday.

He said he aims to have the statements finished by June instead of September.

The current procedure is that the Accountant General's department finishes the financial statements and hands them to the Auditor, who has to review and sign off before handing them onto the Ministry of Finance.

Mr. Richardson insisted that his department, with a new priority toward staff training, is capable of finishing the statements earlier and has demonstrated it can do it.

He said: "In 1999, we signed off on September 30. Last year we signed off on September 15. Next year we plan to sign off on August 31."

He said the final goal is to sign off by June and said the department's improvements are a reflection of a "dynamic" and "proactive" team.

Mr. Richardson told Rotarians that the Account General's department has many responsibilities, including the management of a $1 billion investment portfolio.

And he emphasised the department's staff of 45 are the moving force behind Government's accounting process.

"Staff must be involved, managers must have a hands-on approach," said Mr. Richardson, "Staff must be trained."

Some of his staff are enrolled in bookkeeping and accounting courses and three are seeking professional designations, he said.

And the Accountant General's department began a "helping hands theme by being solution orientated instead of finger pointing", said Mr. Richardson.