The Comptroller of Puerto Rico issued a qualified opinion on the fiscal and programmatic operations of the Manatí-Dorado Local Workforce Development Area. A qualified opinion is issued when the noncompliances individually or together are significant, but not pervasive.
The one-finding Report reveals that the purchasing agent of the Local Area obtained the Approved Inspection Certificate and a sticker for one of the six vehicles, property of the entity, without it being inspected. The heavy bus-type vehicle was parked due to mechanical defects on the grounds of the Local Area.
The owner of the inspection center failed to comply with his obligations and responsibilities, and the Finance director did not adequately supervise the functions of the purchasing agent. This situation, contrary to the Vehicle and Traffic Act and the Motor Vehicle Inspection Regulation, was referred to the Department of Transportation and Public Works on January 27, 2023.
The audit comments that four employees of the Manatí-Dorado Local Workforce Development Area received $15,892 in payments for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits without being eligible, since they were not affected by the loss of their main income. The False Claim Act in fact establishes that any person who, knowingly, presents false claims to the government is liable to return three times the amount of damages plus a fine linked to inflation.
In the examination process, the auditors verified that the Department of Labor and Human Resources had also issued payments for the PUA benefits to another six employees. However, the amounts could not be determined nor their receipt verified. These situations were referred for the consideration of the Department of Labor on January 25, 2023, so that they take the corresponding action.
The Manatí-Dorado Local Workforce Development Area is a service delivery area that administers the funds of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Its budget from 2019 to 2022 was $4,879,723, $5,623,717, $5,491,258, $6,311,721 and $4,942,132.
This report covers the period from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2022
Audit Report OC-24-15 can be obtained on our Internet page: www.ocpr.gov.pr.
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