Comptroller audits contracts made in the framework of the health emergency

Since March 27, 2020, the State Comptroller’s Office initiated control actions over the contracting processes carried out by various public entities , to solve the health emergency .

Comptroller audits contracts made in the framework of the health emergency

On April 17, the Comptroller General, Pablo Celi, requested the general director of the National Service of Public Purchases , all the information on the contracts signed to acquire goods, services, consultancies and very small amounts, celebrated in the months of March and April of this year.

The Sercop was also required to verify the relevance of the contracting and compliance with the regulations in force for the national emergency , such as the budget guidelines for the second quarter issued by the vice minister of Finance on April 16.

Currently, the Comptroller is conducting 26 special examinations. The entities intervened are the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute and the hospitals it administers, Provincial and Cantonal Decentralized Autonomous Governments, the hospital units of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Petroecuador EP and the National Risk Management Service. Social security also observes the hiring of communication services to strengthen its institutional image.

Audits are carried out to determine compliance with the regulations on the procurement of medical devices and supplies , to resolve the emergency ; purchase of tractors and implements for fumigation and disinfection; acquisition of complementary food kits to serve the population; purchase and use of mechanical fans at the Teodoro Maldonado Carbo Hospital.

In the Ministry of Finance , the special examination of the registration and payment of 2020 sovereign bonds began . The purpose of this audit is to verify compliance with the legal and regulatory provisions for the payment or services of sovereign bonds.

It also seeks to verify the proper accounting and budgetary record of payments and their effects on public finances .

Also in that institution, the Vice Minister of Economy and Finance was notified of the start of the examination to determine if he has failed to comply with the provisions of the Organic Law for the application of the Popular Consultation of February 19, 2017, which prohibits the performance of positions in the public sector to the owners of goods or capital in tax havens. This, in response to the request made by the Ombudsman, derived from investigations and journalistic complaints published in the media.

The comptroller also audits the use of the emergency fund and payment of artists, in the Ministry of Culture and Heritage; and, the contracting of insurance policies in the Ministry of Defense. (I)