refused to give an unqualified, clean bill of health to the Contributory Pension Fund.

And Government Auditor Larry Dennis has pointed out that as of last November, the 1994 accounts of eight organisations had not been completely audited.

Those organisations included the Contributory Pension Fund (the government-operated pension plan), the Public Service Superannuation Fund (the civil servants' pension plan), the Hospital Insurance Fund, the Mutual Re-insurance Fund and the Bermuda Department of Tourism North America Retirement Plan.

The problem was that by last November, the 1994 accounts for the eight -- which include three Parish Councils (Smith's, Southampton and St. George's) -- were not available for audit, or complete documentation had not been received in time.

Mr. Dennis had criticisms in the Report of the Auditor on the Accounts of the Government of Bermuda for the Financial Year April 1, 1993 to March 31, 1994, which has been tabled in Parliament.

He identifies 16 new recommendations involving the Mutual Re-insurance Fund, the consolidated financial statements, the Consolidated Fund, the Post Office, land tax, Government payroll and accounts receivable.

And he said that by November, 1997, there were a total of 59 of his recommendations -- some dating back to 1992 -- which had not been fully addressed by Government.

With regard to the Contributory Pension Fund, he remarked: "For the past seven years I have commented on serious deficiencies within the accounting and internal control systems of the Contributory Pension Fund, and the audit opinions attached to the Fund's financial statements since 1987 have been denied or qualified on this basis.

"Seven years of serious deficiencies leading to denials and qualifications of opinion of the Auditor on the financial statements of the Contributory Pension Fund represent an unacceptable breakdown in accounting and management controls.'' Meanwhile, the latest recommendations call for an upgrading of Government accounting systems, and, includes a Finance Ministry response: "The Ministry will take this recommendation under advisement.'' The report calls for a review of postal rates. The Government response: "The Ministry will take this recommendation under advisement.'' It calls for improved computer systems to affect efficiencies in the procedures for land tax collection. The response from Government: "This matter has been addressed and the observation is no longer valid.'' But Mr. Dennis has also called for a review of debt collection procedures throughout Government.

The recommendation states: "Monthly, aged print-outs of all outstanding receivables should be available to collection officers and this information should be used to track the progress of collection procedures.

"Monthly statements and progressively forceful warnings should be an integral part of the collection process.

"Collection efforts should be consistent and constant, and remedy provided in law should be more timely and more aggressively pursued.

"Where applicable, legislation should provide for the imposition of interest on outstanding amounts owed to Government.'' The Finance Ministry agreed to the recommendation and said action is being taken to address the recommendations.

`For the past seven years I have commented on serious deficiencies within the accounting and internal control systems of the Contributory Pension Fund, and the audit opinions attached to the Fund's financial statements since 1987 have been denied or qualified on this basis. Seven years of serious deficiencies leading to denials and qualifications of opinion of the Auditor on the financial statements of the Contributory Pension Fund represent an unacceptable breakdown in accounting and management controls.' -- Auditor Larry Dennis BUSINESS BUC