The compliance audit from Auditor General's Office made on Tourism Ministry towards their Covid-19 related efforts have revealed possible forged documents.
According to the audit report, the ministry under the tourism trust fund had not issued out purchase orders on several instances prior to procurement. Moreover, many of these forms were generated after receiving the orders and post payment.
Furthermore, many of the transactions involved absence of request for purchase forms; which are usually made prior to purchase orders.
The audit report revealed transactions which appear to have forged documents, which include:
- Expenses towards Vilivaru quarantine facility: MVR2,689,440
- Expenses to provide assistance for stranded tourists: MVR95,557
- Expenses towards medical response team: MVR9,096,349
- Expenses towards installation of termal imaging cameras: MVR2,288,007
- Purchase of medical consumables: MVR7,628,959
The sum total of the expenses for the above, indicated in the report is, MVR21,798,312.
Moreover, the audit report further details on inclusion of third-parties for work that may have been managed via single-sources giving rise in the expenses.
Allegations have been made against the conduct, noting the forgeries have been made in order to provide an illicit benefit towards a favored contractor or contractors.
