San Juan – The Office of the Comptroller of Puerto Rico announced today that the public situations that have surfaced regarding the condition of the vehicles and vessels of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA) had already been warned about since 2013 in two Audit Reports. Following the findings, the Office of the Comptroller had made recommendations and established corrective action plans to correct the control failures and multiple deficiencies with the DRNA's property.
“We often see little attention from some entities to the recommendations of the Office of the Comptroller. Audit reports are a valuable instrument to correct the situations that are detected and to improve the management of public property and funds. Failing to act immediately and responsibly causes the flagged facts to worsen over time and the remedy to carry a greater cost to the treasury,” stated the Comptroller of Puerto Rico, Yesmín M. Valdivieso.
Report DA-13-46 of 2013 had flagged that the Regulation for the Administration and Control of the Vehicle Fleet of 2002 had not been updated, which could increase the risk of loss and improper use of motor vehicles and make it difficult to assign responsibilities in the event of an irregularity.
Report DA-15-25 of 2015, in particular, contained eight findings and the opinion was adverse. This report had revealed multiple control failures in the operations of the Transportation Section attached to the General Services Division of the DRNA.
The auditors had found that the Electronic Registry did not include the cost of 638 fleet vehicles, did not indicate the region assigned to 55 vehicles, and did not add to the registry eight units purchased for $177,000. In addition, 89% of the vehicles, vessels, trailers, and heavy equipment lacked a property number, and two vessels of the Bobuerón Maritime Unit were in a state of abandonment.
Since 2013, eight audit reports have been published on the Department's operations, also on fines for violations of environmental laws, water franchise permits and public-domain assets, as well as on professional services contracts and the purchasing area. These are: DA-13-46, DA-14-25, DA-14-34, DA-15-25, DA-15-30, DA-16-37, DA-16-40 and DA-17-30.
CONTACT: Lisandra Rivera Rivera, Director
Office of Press and Communications
lriverar@ocpr.gov.pr
(787) 250-3322
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