Item 4. Controls and Procedures
Item
4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Definition
and Limitations of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our
disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “Exchange Act”)) are designed to reasonably ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed
under the Exchange Act is (i) recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange
Commission’s rules and forms and (ii) accumulated and communicated to management, including our principal executive officer and
principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures.
Evaluation
of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The management of the
Company, under the supervision and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, has evaluated the
effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act), as of September
30, 2021. Based on such evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial and accounting officer have concluded that,
as of the end of such period, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were not effective to provide reasonable assurance
that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is (i) recorded,
processed, summarized and reported, on a timely basis, and (ii) accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including
the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosures due to the material weaknesses identified in our internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2021.
Previously Reported Material Weakness
on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
In the 2021 Form 10-K,
filed with the SEC on July 30, 2021, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of March 31,
2021. In the evaluation, management identified material weaknesses in internal controls related to our financial close and reporting
process and information and communication controls. Management also concluded that we did not have a sufficient complement of corporate
personnel with appropriate levels of accounting and controls knowledge and experience commensurate with our financial reporting requirements
to appropriately analyze, record and disclose accounting matters completely and accurately. As a result of this evaluation, management
extensively used outside consultants who possessed the appropriate levels of accounting and controls knowledge.
47
Remediation . Following
identification of this control deficiency, management is implementing modifications to better ensure that the Company has appropriate
and timely reviews on all financial reporting analysis. The material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting
will not be considered remediated until these modifications are implemented, in operation for a sufficient period of time, tested,
and concluded by management to be designed and operating effectively. In addition, as we continue to evaluate and work to improve our
internal control over financial reporting, management may determine to take additional measures to address control deficiencies or determine
to modify our remediation plan. Management will test and evaluate the implementation of these modifications to ascertain whether they
are designed and operating effectively to provide reasonable assurance that they will prevent or detect a material misstatement in the
Company’s financial statements.
The
steps we took to address the deficiencies identified included:
●
we hired a new Chief Financial Officer;
●
we hired a new Executive Vice-President (“EVP”) Accounting;
●
we have engaged in efforts
to restructure accounting processes and revise organizational structures to enhance accurate accounting and appropriate financial reporting;
●
we have hired additional
experienced accounting personnel in the corporate office to enhance the application of accounting standards and our financial closing
and reporting process;
●
we have engaged external
advisors to provide financial accounting and reporting assistance;
●
we will enhance information
and communication processes through information technology solutions to ensure that information needed for financial reporting is
accurate, complete, relevant and reliable, and communicated in a timely manner; and
●
we have engaged external advisors to evaluate and document the design
and operating effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and assist with the remediation and implementation of our
internal control function.
As
noted above, we believe that, as a result of management’s in-depth review of its accounting processes, and the additional procedures
management has implemented, there are no material inaccuracies or omissions of material fact in this Form 10-Q and, to the best of our
knowledge, we believe that the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-Q fairly present in all material respects
our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows in conformity with GAAP.
We
and our Board treat the controls surrounding, and the integrity of, our financial statements with the utmost priority. Management is
committed to the planning and implementation of remediation efforts to address control deficiencies and any other identified areas of
risk. These remediation efforts are intended to both address the identified material weakness and to enhance our overall financial control
environment. We are committed to maintaining a strong internal control environment, and we believe the measures described above will
strengthen our internal control over financial reporting and remediate the material weakness we have identified. Our remediation efforts
have begun, and we will continue to devote significant time and attention to these remedial efforts. As we continue to evaluate and work
to improve our internal control over financial reporting, management may determine to take additional measures to strengthen controls
or to modify the remediation plan described above, which may require additional implementation time.
Changes
in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There
have been no changes, other than our remediation efforts discussed above, in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting
during the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2021 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
48
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM
1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
None.
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS
There
have been no material changes to the Risk Factors disclosed in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March
31, 2021.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.