CID Launched Its First OJT with Kosrae OPA's Investigator

The Office of the National Public Auditor (ONPA) announces that it recently provided training to Mr. Harry Jackson, the Kosrae State Office of the Public Auditor's (OPA) first and newly hired Investigative Auditor. Mr. Jackson, who has 23 years of police experience, will be responsible for establishing an Investigative Unit within the Kosrae OPA. The Kosrae OPA is an unit of the Kosrae state government and is independent of the FSM ONPA.

Mr. Jackson spent the week of 23-27 February at the FSM Office of the National Public Auditor (ONPA). He received orientation and the on-the-job training (OJT) from Ms. Sophia Pretrick, the Chief Investigator of the ONPA's Compliance and Investigations Division (CID). Ms. Pretrick, a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), focused the training on the implementation of the Quality Standards of Fraud Investigations, as adopted by the U.S President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency Executive.

Training topics also included an overview of ONPA/CID organization and mission, CID's Manual of Operating Procedures (MOP), the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the FSM Department of Justice, and ONPA's enabling legislation as provided in the FSM Public Auditor's Act. Information provided to Investigator Jackson will be modified to conform to Kosrae state laws and regulations.

Mr. Jackson stated in his training summary report, “I evaluated the training program provided by ONPA/CID to the highest point rating possible and recommend that any individual or group that seek such training should come to ONPA.”

The National Public Auditor thanks Kosrae OPA for their support and cooperation in expanding anti-fraud capacity building in the FSM.