Filenews 16 November 2023
A total of 3,000 complaints have been filed in the last ten years against community councils for irregularities or non-observance of procedures.
This was stated before the parliamentary Audit Committee by the Head of Technical Services of the Audit Office, Mrs Stalo Aristidou. Twelve cases were brought before the police but only two were investigated. The director-general of the interior ministry confirmed what was reported by the Audit Office.
Analyzing the findings in 32 community councils, the Audit Office referred to offers made to community councils, ranging from the supply of water meters to the recruitment or general purchase of materials, the separation of plots, while the assignment of works or supplies to relatives is not a rare phenomenon.
Some of the cases were also examined criminally, such as the one concerning the replacement of water meters in Agios Tychonas. The replacement of the cash was, according to the Auditor General, entrusted to relatives of an official of the Union of Communities.
Moreover, in Dora a water pumping machine was purchased by a relative of the president of the community, who was charged in writing and the case was registered in court. The Limassol District Court decided to impose on the President of the Community Doras, by his own admission, a seven-month prison sentence, suspended for three years, for the offence of abuse of power.
In Kolossi, irregularities were detected in a tender concerning the separation of plots for self-housing of displaced persons. A criminal file was prepared by the Police for criminal prosecution purposes.
In Stavrokonnou, alterations of measurements on water consumption recording cards and loss of cards were detected, which was denounced by the president of the community.
Complaints about financial and other irregularities were filed by the District Officer of Pafos and against the president of the community council of Tsada.
The Audit Office also records the following findings:
> Purchases were made or work was assigned to a company of interests of the children or the presidents of the community councils of Kolossi and Pissouri.
> An offer was awarded or work was assigned to a relative of the secretary or a member of the community council, while attending the meeting, until the final decision was taken. Such cases have been recorded in the community councils of Agios Tychonas, Armos, Emba, Tsada, Agridia and Pissouri.
> Assignment of work to a member of the community council in the community councils of Agridia and Emba.
Complaints were submitted about the direct assignment of work to members of community councils and/or relatives of members of community councils or their employees, as well as the purchase of products by companies of interests of community council members. Such complaints were submitted to 34% of the community councils examined.
The investigation of the Audit Office revealed the following:
– Direct purchase of materials without the request for offers.
– Award of contracts to tenderers who did not submit the lowest (economically advantageous) bid, without any/sufficient justification.
– Non-recording of traffic and fuel data of community council vehicles.
– Change of the terms of the contract, after the award of the tender, for the purchase of water meters by community councils. Supply of water meters without a receipt note and without having been registered in the relevant material registration registers, alterations in the recording of water consumption and existence of illegal meters.
– Direct award of studies to private consultants, without asking for tenders and, sometimes, without concluding a contract. Weakness of community councils in the preparation of complete/quality tender documents for the purchase of consulting services.
– Inadequate control by the District Administrations or delay in taking measures by the Armed Forces in incorrect management of construction projects of CP.
– Payment of payments to contractors (contractors, etc.) without presenting invoices/evidence/receipts.
– Hiring a secretary by the method of purchasing services through a flawed procedure.
Especially for the assignment of works, the exhibition mentions that it is often observed that work is assigned and/or materials/products are purchased to/by relatives of members of CCs. In addition, direct assignments are often made to other bodies for the provision of various services within the communities, without following the prescribed procedures set out in the relevant Law and the relevant regulations, resulting in unlawful decisions, which violate the principles of transparency and equal treatment of Economic Operators.
The general conclusions of the report also record the decisions taken and actions taken, which are not recorded or documented in the minutes of the meetings of the CP.
