Fuel, vehicle racket runs deep at NCN – 2014 Audit Report

[www.inewsguyana.com] – A draft copy of the National Communications Network (NCN) audit report has been leaked by online blogging site – GT Mosquito – revealing glaring instances of mismanagement and apparent fraud in 2014.

According to the draft report, for 2014, NCN expended some $15.615M solely for the purchase of fuel from GuyOil for 17 vehicles. Some vehicles were being filled with fuel as much as 28 times per month.

It was stated that log books for ten vehicles along with fuel slips for two vehicles were not presented for audit examination hence there was no determination of the fuel expenditure.

An examination of the vehicle log books and fuel authorisation slips for six months revealed several instances where fuel entries were omitted from the log books.

“Motor vehicle no. PKK 3623 was listed as being assigned to the Marketing Manager during the year under review, however, an examination of his contract revealed that he was not entitled to a Company vehicle but instead was paid a travelling allowance of $52,000 per month which was paid to him for the year under review. However, amounts totalling $274,322 representing fuel consumption were paid for the Company vehicle which was utilised by the Marketing Manager. As a result, the amount stated as operating expenditure was overstated since the fuel charges for this vehicle should have been paid for by the Marketing Manager,” the 2014 audit report stated.

Meanwhile, it was also revealed that Motor vehicle no. PRR 3501 was being used by a member of the NCN Board of Directors on two occasions for three complete days in the months of August and October 2014. As a result, the figures stated as fuel charges and maintenance of vehicles were overstated since the Company paid for all charges even though the vehicle was being used for private purposes.

The report indicated that this situation might have been condoned on other occasions that were omitted from the log books since entries were confirmed to be omitted in several other cases.

“At the time of audit (June 2015), this vehicle was verified to be badly damaged and parked in the compound of NCN.”

More glaring too, the quantity of fuel to be uplifted by the drivers from the GUYOIL service station was not recorded on the fuel authorisation slips, instead ‘full up’ or ‘full tank’ were recorded, thereby leaving the opportunity for easy manipulation.

“A detailed examination of the fuel consumption for five of the Company’s vehicles for a six months period chosen at random revealed that the amount of $3.660M was expended on fuel charges. It was also noted that two of the five vehicles had recorded high purchases of more than $200,000 in fuel for three separate months in the six months period being examined. Further, it was revealed that one of the vehicles being reviewed visited the service station twenty six times for the month of June and twenty eight times in the month of July with an average fuel up of over 22 times per month during that six months period. As a result, the Company is left to bear a very high fuel consumption charge instead of utilising the funds for a more meaningful and beneficial purpose.”

Further, the audit examined the contract for the repair of vehicle PLL 1339, in the sum of $475,000, which includes the amount of $300,000 for replacing of a complete transmission system. Inquiries were made as to the whereabouts of this replaced part as it was needed for audit inspection. However, the part was never located and presented for inspection. As a result, it could not be determined whether the missing part was indeed replaced.