Corruption: Silent sufferging spilled out to public
As the environment gets open with continued pressure for democracy and human rights, the rampant prevailing of silent corruption in the bureaucracy has begun to come out in the public.
For years, the government had claimed the government machinery lacks any instances of corruption and that anyone involved in such activities are punished severely. However, when the instances of corruption cases, where high-level officials have their involvement, are now out the government has held its tongue.
In less than eight months of its establishment, the Office of the Attorney General has received 84 complaints of corruption for Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and hundreds other from general public.
The scuffle at the Bhutan Development Finance Corporation Limited (BDFCL) is flooring in. In a week, the agency suspended at least 11 of its officials on charge of corruption. However, the suspended officials said they became the pray in hands of corrupt senior officials who hide their misdeeds.
The BDFCL said investigations in the frauds is underway. Is has been reported that the former Zhemgang manager of the company had informally processed loans during his tenure. Bank guarantee fees were collected and not accounted for.
But the company has not revealed the amount of fraud.
Last year as well, four district managers of Samdrup Jongkhar, Paro, Trashiyantse and Trashigang, were found to have involved in the under-table transaction. Two others are from Thimphu.
The BDFCL officials said since its officials are least paid, they might be compelled to engage in back-door business.
According to the new report of the Royal Audit Authority (RCC) the finance officer at the secretariat of the Youth Development Fund (YDF) misused at least Nu 2,621,108 by manipulating accounts, claiming for fictitious expenditure and double booking expenses.
Singye Dorji, the finance officer misused Nu 327,000 from the money allocated for Vocational Training Centre for the Disabled. Of Nu 943,040 taken out from the YDF fund account, he deposited Nu 616,040 in the secretariat account.
He also misused fund amounting Nu 110,793 through double booking air tickets and scholarship expenses. An expenditure of Nu 95,793 spent for air tickets of YDF consultant was manipulated twice. He even had not deposited Nu 65,047 of air tickets refunded in the name of the consultant's family members. Out of Nu 104,565.60 withdrawn for the purchase of air tickets, the actual cost of air ticket was Nu 99,180.
Nu 15,000 for scholarship fee to Kuenphen Higher Secondary School, Bumthang, was booked twice.
An amount of Nu 635,000 allocated for gift items was found to be fictitious. Nu 243,633 was spent and no documents supporting the expenditure were prepared. Nu 150,775, which should have been transferred to the secretariat account go missing.
Nu 34,475 allocated for Monk Project also was misused. Dorji also misappropriated Nu 1,034,000 from the YDF's fixed deposit account.
RAA said, Singye Dorji misused Nu 26,225 and the rest by other officials.
In between July 2004 and June 2006, a few senior officials in Trashiyangtse district misappropriated million of government funds.
Nu 888,593.80 collected revenue go missing. Of Nu 1,262,834.63 collected revenue only Nu 374,240.83 was deposited to the government.
Of the total account finalized by engineer Tshewang Tenzin, who is now shifted to Chhukha district, Nu 502,573.29 was listed in his name as outstanding balance account (OBA).
An excess expenditure of Nu 584,396 incurred due to frauds. An excess payment of Nu 329,220 was also made to the contractors as claimed in bills for the quantity of work not executed.
The district administration, instead of forfeiting the bid security for purchase of electrical goods, placed the supply order to the supplier at the rates quoted by the second lowest bidder.
Around Nu 60,000 to Nu 70,000 has been estimated to have gone misused after the government announced quota to purchase of vehicles for senior officials since it was introduced a decade ago. In the process, it has cost the national exchequer approximately Nu 25 million a year.
"Civil servants above grade VI, which is equivalent to P3A under the new Position Classification System, can apply for the quota. The maximum ceiling is vehicles equivalent to a Toyota Land Cruiser or a Hi-ace bus with the incentive of 35 percent tax deduction, which includes 15 percent Bhutan Sales Tax and 20 percent customs duty," the Bhutan Times quoted an official.
About 250 civil servants apply for vehicle quota every year.
Royal Insurance Company of Bhutan Limited (RICBL) is the most corrupted government agency ever recorded. Investigations have found out that 90 percent of the officials were involved in the frauds. Though, senior officials were involved in the corruption, junior officials have become the victims. 64 employees facing charges of managerial misconduct and forgery of medical and TA/DA bills lashed out at the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) pointing out that it has made them victims of a gross systemic failure in the country.
The RICBL employees said they have been vindictively subjected to draconian measures, prejudiced and unfair treatment.
Four general managers and the managing director of RICBL are charged for managerial misconduct, six employees are charged for forging medical bills and 59 for forgery in regard to the TA/DA discrepancy.
The team leader of the ACC's investigating team had also led the RAA team to audit RICBL accounts between 2002 and 2004.
ACC also has ordered the Zhemgang district office to suspend junior engineer Sonam Wangchuk indefinitely starting this month in connection with the fraudulent tendering procedure of the Buli-Tshaidang farm road.
He is accused of colluding with the private contractor while evaluating the tender bid documents. According to ACC, it was found that the contractor had lowered the bid amount from about Nu. 9.6 million to Nu. 9.00 million.
The 6.2 km Thimphu-Babesa road projects also fell in the pray of corrupt contractors and officials. The road, initially targeted for completion by 2002, is now half finished.
Preliminary estimate of the road, including the three bridges, was Nu. 406. 73 million and then later increased to Nu 421. 64 million. Now the cost has crossed Nu. 530 million. Bhutan News Service