Broadcasting Commission and LGA complied with Financial Regulations: Auditor General

Auditor General has confirmed in his Annual Audit Reports for the year 2011 that the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) and the Local Government Authority (LGA) had generally complied with financial regulations.

Audit Reports for MBC and LGA were both published by the Auditor General’s Office last week, and none of them noted a significant issue with the financial administration of those institutions.

According to MBC Audit Report, the Commission failed to comply with the financial regulations in just one matter, which was keeping MRF 68,313 received during the year as broadcast license fees in its safe in the office, instead of depositing the money in a public bank account.

According to the financial regulations in force, any money received by a public body should, if time allows it, be deposited in a public bank account.

LGA Audit Report noted that the Authority had not made some by-laws which it was required to make under the Local Government Act. The Report also said that LGA had not coordinated subordinate legislation passed by Local Councils, which it is statutorily required to do in order to make sure that such legislation were consistent.

Also, Women’s Development Committees in islands and cities throughout the country in accordance with Local Government Act were not formed by the end of 2011, just as the by-laws necessary for forming those Committees were not made, according to the Report on LGA. Auditor General’s Report advised LGA to formulate those by-laws as soon as possible.

Audit Reports on various government institutions for the year 2011 unearthed many issues of non-compliance with financial regulations, and some issues of corruption have also surfaced on the basis of the findings of the Auditor General.