Overpayments amounting over $166.M were made in respect of measured works on 90 contracts administered by Ministries, Departments and Regions in 2018. This is according to the Auditor General’s report for 2018.
The report noted that amounts totalling $73.709M were in relation to the Regions, of which $56.528M or approximately 77% were from Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Eight (Potaro/Siparuni), 9 (Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo) and 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice).
As it relates to the Ministries/Departments, a total of $92.367M in overpayments were noted, of which amounts totalling $63.741M and $8.330M or approximately 69% and 9% were from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the Ministry of Social Protection, respectively.
The entities had, however, made several attempts to recover these sums.
At the time of reporting in September 2019, a total of $20.041M was recovered. Of this sum, $10.503M and $9.538M were in respect of Ministries, Departments and Regions, respectively. Overpayments totalling $146.035M remained outstanding at the time of the report’s compilation.
As it relates to advance payments to contractors and the non-commencement of works, it was discovered that one contractor received an advance payment of $53M in 2018 from the Ministry of Education for the construction of St. Roses High School.
At the time of reporting in September 2019, the site was abandoned and no construction works had commenced.
