Report Contents
What OIG
Inspected OIG inspected the executive direction, program and policy implementation, and resource management operations of Embassy Paramaribo.
What OIG Recommends
OIG made 18 recommendations: 17 to Embassy Paramaribo and 1 to the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations.
In its comments on the draft report, the Department concurred with 17 recommendations and disagreed with 1. OIG considers the 18 recommendations resolved. The Department’s response to each recommendation, and OIG’s reply, can be found in the Recommendations section of this report. The Department’s formal written responses are reprinted in their entirety in Appendix B.
What OIG Found
- Embassy Paramaribo, between ambassadors at the time of the inspection, was led by a Chargé d’Affaires, who was accessible and visible throughout the embassy. He set a positive tone for the embassy and communicated his priorities well.
- The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations had not repaired leaks in the roofs of the chancery and warehouse on the new embassy compound, which were creating a health hazard for employees because of the mold that had formed.
- The embassy had multiple internal control deficiencies in general services, facilities management, human resources, and financial management operations.
- Embassy Paramaribo did not meet requirements for its local compensation plan, which resulted in incorrect salaries and retirement contributions for 32 locally employed staff.
- The embassy operated two wireless networks without the security controls necessary to protect the Department of State’s networks and prevent the potential compromise of information.
- Spotlight on Success: Embassy Paramaribo hosted a conference for all International Law Enforcement Academy course graduates from the previous year to provide feedback on what they learned and how they put their new skills to work.
- Spotlight on Success: The Public Diplomacy Section successfully used a film festival to reach a large audience on a variety of issues, ranging from religious freedom to civil rights to women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields, and other aspects of U.S. society and culture.
Report Terms
Report Recommendations
Embassy Paramaribo, in coordination with the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, should comply with metrics and monitoring requirements for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement-funded projects in accordance with Department guidance.
Embassy Paramaribo should conduct the required joint evaluation reviews with the Government of Suriname for Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs-funded projects.
Embassy Paramaribo should comply with Department standards for its purchase card program.
Embassy Paramaribo should comply with the Department’s Overseas Motor Vehicle Safety Management Program policy regarding driver working hours.
Embassy Paramaribo should manage keys for official vehicles in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Paramaribo should comply with Department standards for tracking residential fuel deliveries.
Embassy Paramaribo should implement controls for handling and storage of property in its warehousing program in accordance with Department guidance.
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, in coordination with Embassy Paramaribo, should address the roof leaks in the new embassy compound and mitigate the resulting health hazards within 180 days.
Embassy Paramaribo should eliminate the safety hazards at the new embassy compound warehouse in accordance with Department guidance.
Embassy Paramaribo, in coordination with the Florida Regional Center, should implement a new annual agreement of regional service goals.
Embassy Paramaribo, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources and the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, should calculate locally employed staff benefit entitlements in accordance with the local compensation plan.
Embassy Paramaribo, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources, should correct the deficit in the locally employed staff pension plan in accordance with Department guidance.
Embassy Paramaribo should conduct unannounced quarterly reviews of locally employed staff certifying activity in accordance with Department guidelines.
Embassy Paramaribo should implement standard operating procedures for information management operations.
Embassy Paramaribo should perform Information Systems Security Officer duties in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Paramaribo should comply with Department security standards for wireless local area networks.
Embassy Paramaribo should conduct annual information technology contingency plan testing of the unclassified and classified networks in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Paramaribo should provide its locally employed telephone technician with Foreign Service Institute training course number YW331, Cisco Unified Communications Manager Administration.