The compliance audit report of Ministry of Tourism reveals out of mandate transactions and expenditures towards Covid-19 related efforts.
According to Auditor General's Office, the state authority mandated with auditing all government bodies, the Ministry of Tourism had engaged in transactions breaching its mandate with several expenses carried prior to establishing the Covid-19 trust fund.
Moreover, the audit reveals the committee overseeing expenditure of government bodies had not approved individual transactions of the ministry.
The report further reveals 99 percent of the ministry's expenditure; MVR26.2 million was spent outside of its mandated responsibilities - most of which have been identified as 'unnecessary.'
Furthermore, it was revealed the ministry had incurred expenses falling under the mandate of other government authorities.
According to the compliance audit, the expenses incurred through Tourism Trust Fund include:
- Procurement of medical consumables: MVR7,731,531
- Expenses towards tourists stuck in Maldives due to border closure: MVR118,842
- Expenses of doctors flown in from abroad: MVR8,944,625
- Accommodation for helicopter crew: MVR198,397
- Installation of termal camera at airports: MVR1,508,529
- Development of Velidhoo quarantine facility: MVR92,462
- Development of Vilivaru quarantine facility: MVR6,510,772
- Other expenses: MVR107,296
State apportioned a total of MVR30,840,000 to be spent towards Covid-19 related efforts, of which the total spending stood at MVR26,212,731. Expenses made from the fund will be approved by the committee mandated with the responsibility of overseeing and managing the fund.
However, the audit reveals the ministry had made several transactions without the committee approval through the fund.
Additionally it was revealed several transactions were made towards procurement prior to apportionment of the trust fund capacity. Purchases orders worth MVR14,000,595 were made prior to the approval of the tourism trust fund.
