Audit reveals lack of distribution accountability during COVID

THE Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) failed to maintain basic records and ensure proper accountability and transparency in the receipt and distribution of items procured in its management of relief support to vulnerable households during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

These are among the findings of an auditor general probe into the expenditure activities of the ministries of labour and social security, and health and wellness during the pandemic. A report on the investigations was tabled in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

“For example, there was no record to show the number of care packages prepared and the amount in stock after distribution at the central warehouse or at the parish offices. This information is only known when a physical stock count is done. This balance cannot be validated in the absence of a perpetual inventory system,” Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis said.

The auditor general added that although the ministry’s operational procedure for receipt, storage and distribution of care items indicated that “in some cases of emergency food requirement an authorisation for issuance may be initiated by verbal or email communication”, from 70 distribution lists which the auditors observed, 15,386 care packages were issued, of which 15,141 were without formal requisitions. She said this suggested care packages were issued mainly based on verbal communication.

Monroe Ellis said a comparison of inventory listings for November 23 and November 24, 2020 showed the absence of inventory records to account for the movement of several stock items, including 30 bags of cornmeal, 42 cases of beans, 19 cases of sardines, 28 cases of sausages.

“We observed that bin cards were last updated between 2014 and 2017 for items used in care packages. No bin cards were maintained for other items such as rice, black peas, macaroni, manna pack, water, bath soap, sugar, oatmeal, flour,” the auditor general pointed out.

Furthermore, Monroe Ellis said the social security ministry did not conduct the required annual physical verification of items in the warehouse and submit a report to the financial secretary and the auditor general as required by financial law instructions.

“Despite requests, the MLSS is yet to advise on the last audit of the warehouse by the internal auditors,” Monroe Ellis advised.

Additionally, 1,439 food packages, 215 children packages, 91 hygiene packages, 209 cases of mango juice, 10 cases of biscuits, and 13 cases of Pepsi left the warehouse, but were not recorded in the checkpoint register as evidence of security checks.

“We also identified that 15,386 care packages were issued, of which 15,141 (98 per cent) were without formal requisitions, suggesting care packages issuance was predominantly based on verbal communication. Also, the MLSS issued 286 care packages and 50 juice packages from the warehouse with no indication of who collected the items,” the report stated.