No Cabinet approval $M spent

This was one of several irregularities cited in the Auditor General’s Report of September 30, 2014 into the Health Ministry.

This report was also the subject of a public hearing held earlier in the week by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) at Tower D of the Port-of-Spain International Waterfront Centre.

During the hearing, Government Senator Dr Lester Henry expressed concern about questionable expenditure in the renal- dialysis programme from 2014 to 2015, saying companies which existed in 2015 had been nonexistent in 2014.

The Auditor General’s Report indicated there was no evidence of approval being given after November 22, 2013 by the Kamla Persad-Bissessar Cabinet for the payments to private institutions and health care providers for renal dialysis.

In response to a question from Independent Senator Jennifer Raffoul, Director of Health Policy (Research and Planning) Lawrence Jaisingh said checks showed that two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which entered into memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the ministry did not exist.

The report said MOUs with six non-profit institutions and relevant site visits required to facilitate verification of the use of funds totalling $10,850,259 for intended purposes were not produced.

The Auditor General also said lease agreements were not provided for nine properties, for which monthly payments of $1,251,194.74 were made. A duly signed contract with Nipdec, for the construction of an outpatient clinic building at the Mt Hope Women’s Hospital at a cost of $79,333,202.05, was not provided.

Contracts between the ministry and Nipdec for upgrade works at the C40 Building in Chaguaramas, valued at $437,102.15, were not produced for audit.

In terms of physical investments, payments totalling $3,418,771.86, relating to the Hospital Enhancement and Development Programme were incorrectly charged to Physical Investments, in contravention of Financial Regulation 65 (1).

Status reports on the expansion of the maternity ward at the Sangre Grande Hospital ($650,823.50) and the purchase of ethylene oxide sterilizer by the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA), were not provided. Two projects shown as 100 percent complete on the overall status report as at September 30, 2015, were shown as ongoing on the individual reports.

The Auditor General also said the number of contract employees at the ministry increased from 391 in 2013 to 735 in 2014. The total salaries paid to contract employees increased from $117,992,023 in 2013 to $127,154,294.84 in 2014.