The Ministry of International Relations (MRI) continues to pay thousands of dollars in interest because its delegations do not pay the balance of their credit cards on time. The Departure of an employee of the delegation in Chicago even led to delays over $ 6,000.
“It is waste of public funds. […] There is no reason that we pay for costs of interest, “indignant the liberal deputy André A. Morin in an interview with The newspaperstill surprised by the answers from the minister of International Relations, Martine Biron.
In the fall, our investigation office revealed that Quebec taxpayers paid interest, simply because the statement of dozens of ministerial credit cards were not settled in time. The last class was the MRI and certain American delegations.
In just six months in 2024, government offices in the United States paid nearly $ 8,000 for payment delays.
To justify these costs, the MRI simply explained that it had “administrative issues”, which have since been settled “in major” part.
Delays accumulate
During the study of MRI credits on Wednesday, Morin expressed a document from the ministry in which the numerous delay costs are detailed.
“For the Boston office, it was $ 662 that you had to pay in interest costs because the payments were not made in time,” he illustrated. And when you look at the Chicago office, delays and interest costs are even higher. ”
The Chicago delegation actually had to pay, in 2024, a total of $ 6,600. Moreover, according to this document that we were able to consult, costs of US $ 1040 and US $ 30 were paid in September and October, after the ministry responded to our investigation office that the “issues” had been settled.
Still on February 2, the new York delegation was to pay $ 977 in late costs. That of Boston also experienced delays at the start of the year.
Departure of an employees
“The specific case which was brought to my attention is the case of Chicago, first explained Mme Biron. This was the case of an employee who was no longer in the employment of the MRI, and we had difficulty recovering the credit card. ”
“So she had her credit card, then continued to charge the state?” questioned Mr. Morin. You will understand that it worries me to the highest point. ”
Mme Biron assured that this ex-employee had not spent an expense with the ministry card after leaving his job.
“It is incupement,” added Mr. Morin on the sidelines of the study of credits. Calling a bank to cancel a credit card is not very long to do. ”
In the middle of the afternoon, Ms. Biron’s cabinet recalled The newspaper And insisted on this ex-employee was not gone with his card. “The credit card has always remained in the hands of the delegation,” said Minister Frédérique Verreault’s attaché. An administrative assistant has left her job well and pre-authorized costs would have been loaded on the map and would have escaped the vigilance of the new assistant.
A similar problem would be the cause of payment delays at the New York delegation as well. MRI employees have since received training provides us with the attaché. The latter says that the ministry takes this very serious situation.
“It is unacceptable!, Also said Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, spokesperson for Québec Solidaire on the sidelines of credits’ studies. This mismanagement is added to the entire lack of respect for the CAQ for public funds and taxpayers. The minister must formally undertake to review the management of credit cards from her offices so that Quebecers stop paying thousands of dollars in interest every year. »»
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