News in brief

International Journal of Government Auditing, Jul 2000

Among the many senior positions he has held, Dr. RussiAn has served as Municipal Sub-comptroller of the Federal District, Comptroller of the Sucre Municipality ofthe Miranda State, and Comptroller of Caracas Municipal Office; all of these are within the capital city. His last position was as National Superintendent of Internal Control and Public Accountability where he served since its foundation in 1977 until his appointment as Comptroller General.

One of his first tasks on assuming the position of General Comptroller has been to restructure the Office in order to modernize it and make it more flexible, as well as to improve its personnel distribution. This relates to broader changes underway in Venezuela as a result of a new Constitution, which recognizes a "citizen's branch of government" known as the Citizen's Power Force which is exercised or performed by the Republican Moral Council. This council is conformed by three entities, the Office of the People's Defender, the Public Ministry or Department, and the Office of the Comptroller General. The new Constitution reinforces the role of the Office of the Comptroller General. Dr. Russian believes that a stronger, nimbler, consistent, and more dynamic national audit office will be more efficient, and, in cooperation with institutions from other countries, will be better able to battle against corruption.

For more information, contact the office of the Contralor General de la Republica, Caracas 1050, Avenida Andres Bello, Apartado 1917, Caracas, Venezuela. *