<TABLE id=msgUN border=0 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Wasted $2 million on Philip Yeo's office</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
Subscribe </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>teh_si <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>Jul-14 7:01 pm </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 44) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>16958.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>show us the remedial reports and disciplinary actions!
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<TABLE class="georgia11 whiteBg" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=620><TBODY><TR><TD class=padlrt10>July 15, 2009</TD></TR><TR><TD class=padlrt10>Civil servants rapped for sloppiness
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=padlrt10>A-G says they are lax in managing public funds and opt for convenience
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=padlrt10>By Goh Chin Lian </TD></TR><TR><TD class="marginbottom8 padlrt10">
THE Auditor-General (AG) has chided civil servants for being sloppy in their management of public funds.
He accuses them of tending to opt for what is convenient administratively over financial prudence and being lax in enforcing penalties and other contractual rights.
They are also too ready in accepting the recommendations of consultants, added A-G Lim Soo Ping.
One government agency whose slip-ups are particularly costly is regulator Media Development Authority (MDA).
Its lapses, which filled nine pages of a 40-page report released by the A-G yesterday, included failing to collect an estimated $9.89 million in revenue.
The sum was from 46 films in which it invested and which were screened, some as long ago as 4-1/2 years.
In addition, the MDA did not review whether these projects met such objectives as creating jobs for Singaporeans.
Such shortcomings in contract management and in the procurement of goods and services formed a significant portion of the lapses uncovered in the yearly audit of government agencies, the A-G said, in his latest report for the financial year ending March 31 this year.
Mr Lim blamed the lapses partly on officers who were 'inclined towards administrative convenience with financial prudence taking a back seat'.
Also, some officers were too ready to take at face value the recommendations of consultants, without giving enough thought to the financial implications.
'A small dose of scepticism is always helpful,' he said.
Contractual obligations were also not followed. For instance, at the Institute of Technical Education, a contractor underperformed for more than a year. There were delays and the landscaping work was unsatisfactory. Yet, no damages were imposed on the contractor.
Another reason for the lapses is that the approving authorities place too much trust in the proposals and recommendations submitted to them, said the A-G.
They assume the officers have thoroughly considered all factors, like a fair and transparent procurement process.
'Many lapses can be avoided if the approving authorities are more rigorous in their scrutiny and ask the pertinent, if inconvenient, questions,' the A-G said.
He also cited cases where the approving authority or financial controls were bypassed.
For instance, a firm bidding to produce souvenirs for the Public Service Division (PSD) was told it had been successful before the decision was made.
'This is tantamount to treating the Tender Board as a rubber stamp,' he said.
A Defence Ministry officer also wrongly certified a project as completed - and about $290,000 was paid to the Defence Science and Technology Agency - when it was not. 'This is a serious matter as it is tantamount to circumvention of financial controls,' the A-G said.
As a result of the lapses, there is 'little or no assurance of value for money in projects carried out', said Mr Lim.
The agencies have promised the A-G to tighten their processes.
MDA is, among other things, introducing a system to track revenues from film projects.
A PSD spokesman told The Straits Times yesterday that it had improved training on procurement procedures.
In acknowledging the mistake, the spokesman said the PSD had committed 'a serious lapse and regrets it'.
[email protected]
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<TABLE class="georgia11 whiteBg" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=620><TBODY><TR><TD class=padlrt10>July 15, 2009</TD></TR><TR><TD class=padlrt10>Civil servants rapped for sloppiness
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=padlrt10>A-G says they are lax in managing public funds and opt for convenience
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=padlrt10>By Goh Chin Lian </TD></TR><TR><TD class="marginbottom8 padlrt10">
THE Auditor-General (AG) has chided civil servants for being sloppy in their management of public funds.
He accuses them of tending to opt for what is convenient administratively over financial prudence and being lax in enforcing penalties and other contractual rights.
They are also too ready in accepting the recommendations of consultants, added A-G Lim Soo Ping.
One government agency whose slip-ups are particularly costly is regulator Media Development Authority (MDA).
Its lapses, which filled nine pages of a 40-page report released by the A-G yesterday, included failing to collect an estimated $9.89 million in revenue.
The sum was from 46 films in which it invested and which were screened, some as long ago as 4-1/2 years.
In addition, the MDA did not review whether these projects met such objectives as creating jobs for Singaporeans.
Such shortcomings in contract management and in the procurement of goods and services formed a significant portion of the lapses uncovered in the yearly audit of government agencies, the A-G said, in his latest report for the financial year ending March 31 this year.
Mr Lim blamed the lapses partly on officers who were 'inclined towards administrative convenience with financial prudence taking a back seat'.
Also, some officers were too ready to take at face value the recommendations of consultants, without giving enough thought to the financial implications.
'A small dose of scepticism is always helpful,' he said.
Contractual obligations were also not followed. For instance, at the Institute of Technical Education, a contractor underperformed for more than a year. There were delays and the landscaping work was unsatisfactory. Yet, no damages were imposed on the contractor.
Another reason for the lapses is that the approving authorities place too much trust in the proposals and recommendations submitted to them, said the A-G.
They assume the officers have thoroughly considered all factors, like a fair and transparent procurement process.
'Many lapses can be avoided if the approving authorities are more rigorous in their scrutiny and ask the pertinent, if inconvenient, questions,' the A-G said.
He also cited cases where the approving authority or financial controls were bypassed.
For instance, a firm bidding to produce souvenirs for the Public Service Division (PSD) was told it had been successful before the decision was made.
'This is tantamount to treating the Tender Board as a rubber stamp,' he said.
A Defence Ministry officer also wrongly certified a project as completed - and about $290,000 was paid to the Defence Science and Technology Agency - when it was not. 'This is a serious matter as it is tantamount to circumvention of financial controls,' the A-G said.
As a result of the lapses, there is 'little or no assurance of value for money in projects carried out', said Mr Lim.
The agencies have promised the A-G to tighten their processes.
MDA is, among other things, introducing a system to track revenues from film projects.
A PSD spokesman told The Straits Times yesterday that it had improved training on procurement procedures.
In acknowledging the mistake, the spokesman said the PSD had committed 'a serious lapse and regrets it'.
[email protected]
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