The Ministry of Social Development and Family Services is aware of issues of fraud surrounding several of its grants including the COVID grant.
The confirmation comes from Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Ms Jacqueline Johnson.
Her comments came as the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee met this morning to examine concerns raised in the Report of the Auditor General for the financial year 2021.
The meeting paid specific attention to the administering of grants.
Given the millions of dollars the state spends on grants annually, Ms Johnson said the issue of fraud is one that the Ministry has been attempting to address.
She revealed that the Ministry has installed an investigative unit as well to clamp down on instances of fraud.
Ms Rhonda Francis, Head Investigations and Compliance Unit at the Ministry said more than a dozen persons will be recruited, in addition to more than 30 persons already employed, to ensure that instances of fraud are minimized.
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