The Office of the Comptroller of Puerto Rico issues a partially adverse opinion on the operations related to the construction of permanent works and improvements, the purchases of goods and services, the awarding of bids, the contracting of professional and consulting services, the disbursements, and the controls and procedures of some areas examined in the Municipality of Ciales.
The 11-finding Report reveals the payment of $1.3 million for political discrimination to 13 plaintiffs. This situation affected the resources available to provide services to the citizens of Ciales. In addition, following a settlement between the parties, the Municipality paid $95,000 for two sexual harassment lawsuits by officials.
Since 2005, the Municipality has disbursed nearly a million dollars on the remodeling of the Former Casino to be used as the New City Hall. Contrary to the law, this construction was fragmented to avoid holding a bid, and as of June 2015 the work had not been completed. Neither for this work nor for the remodeling of the Public Plaza at $1.1 million, nor the Installation of kiosks on the linear promenade at $176,619, had the Municipality requested the construction permits from the Permit Management Office. The audit notes that the mayors, the Bidding Board, and the directors of Finance departed from the provisions related to the awarding of Bids, the purchase of goods and services, and other deficiencies in the purchases.
Other findings reveal the seizure of municipal funds by the Federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the payment of interest and penalties of $361,522 to the Federal Social Security, the Department of Labor, the Department of the Treasury, the Environmental Quality Board, and the AutoExpreso account.
The Office of the Comptroller referred to the President of the College of Engineers and Surveyors of Puerto Rico the possible violations of the canons of ethics by an engineer hired by the Municipality for $193,500 who never processed the construction permits for the remodeling of the Former Casino. In addition, the Municipality has five civil lawsuits totaling $1.5 million pending resolution by the courts.
The Report covers the period from January 1, 2011 to June 30, 2015.
See Audit Report M-17-28.
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