The Auditor General’s 2013 report…$22M in overpayments on contracts

Jun 27, 2015 News

– $7M in overpayment on salaries
The issue of overpayments on contracts and salaries continues to remain an area of concern for the guardian of the national purse, Auditor General (AG) Deodat Sharma.
In his latest report on the state of the country’s finances, Sharma said that for 2013, there were overpayments amounting to $22.148M which were made on measured works on various contracts administered by Ministries, Departments and Regions.
He said that some of these included the Guyana Elections Commission, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Guyana Defence Force and Regions Four, Five, Six, Eight and Ten.
Sharma also noted that there were some overpayments on contract works administered in prior periods which amounted to $187.184M.
He said that it was reported that several of these entities are facing serious challenges in recovering the amounts overpaid. Sharma said that this continued trend coupled with no evidence to suggest that disciplinary action of any kind had been meted out to engineering or other staff involved in the assessment of works in progress and the certification of progress payments, is troubling and hints at management’s perceived in action to remedy the current situation.
The AG then spoke to the importance of internal control systems intended to promote efficiency, reduce risk of assets loss and help ensure the reliability of financial statements and compliance with applicable legislation.
Against this background, he said that during the period under review, several instances were identified where the design or operation of one or more of the internal control components were weak or nonexistent.
Sharma said that this resulted in the overpayment of salaries and deductions, the clearing of cheque order vouchers long after the stipulated timeframe, and non compliance with applicable legislation.
He said that in one Ministry and four regions, there were overpayment of salaries to staff and deductions to agencies totaling $7.225M for 2013.
Sharma said that these entities have faced serious challenges in recovering such sums, particularly because banking institutions require authorizations from account holders to do so, and statutory agencies such as the Guyana Revenue Authority and the National Insurance Scheme are not fully complying with requests to refund the sums overpaid.
He said, too, that amounts totaling $35M that have been overpaid for the years 2007 to 2012 are yet to be recovered.

Latest News

The Auditor General’s 2013 report…$22M in overpayments on contracts

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

St. Lucia’s Elite Blazers takes aim at FIBA 3×3 World Tour in...

Petra/Milo U18 Football kicks off Round II action...

Track and Field clubs demand nullification of AAG...

Joint Statement from WIPA and CWI on Athlete...

RCNA launches Childhood Obesity Prevention...

FL Sport donates stumps to Meten-Meer-Zorg...

Features/Columnists

Following one’s conscience rather than the crowd

If Guyana’s President Ali is the “Zelensky of the Caribbean”, who is the Putin?

New beginning, or beginning of a nightmare?

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

The Auditor General’s 2013 report…$22M in overpayments on contracts

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]