The Comptroller of Puerto Rico issues a favorable opinion with exceptions on the operations related to the award, contracting, and payments of public works and permanent improvements; the professional and consulting services; the administration of personnel and real property; the purchases and disbursements; the donations; the collections; and some controls and procedures of other areas of the Municipality.
The audit reveals that the Municipality of Humacao split the cost of a project to build markers (concrete landmarks identifying the wards) in order to avoid the requirement to hold a public bid. The proposal to formalize the second contract was submitted to the Municipality only 20 days apart from the setting aside of the funds for the first contract. This indicates that it was a single project totaling $224,300, which, in addition, did not have the construction permit from the Permit Management Office.
Moreover, our auditors detected that the contractor for this project identified himself with the title of architect, without holding the license or being a member of the College of Architects and Landscape Architects of Puerto Rico. To that effect, it is recommended that the Secretary of Justice consider this situation and take the corresponding measures.
The 11-finding Report points out that a citizen had been illegally using a piece of Municipal land on Georgetti Street since before 2010. On that plot, which was next to a business of his own, he had built a parking lot with a fence and an electric gate.
The audit also reveals multiple deficiencies, such as the acquisition of goods without the required quotes and the lack of reports on the use of $740,000 in donations granted to a nonprofit entity. In addition, the Municipality took up to one year to send the contracts and amendments, totaling $3 million, to the Office of the Comptroller as required by Act 18 of 1975 and Regulation 33 on the registry of contracts.
In the special comments it is indicated that as of December 31, 2014, the Municipality had 13 lawsuits for $4.3 million pending resolution in the courts.
See Audit Report M-17-24.
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