Corruption | DSAT staff took bribes from parking management firms

Two Transport Bureau (DSAT) staff members have been detained after being accused of accepting bribes totaling MOP16 million from three companies that manage public car parking spaces.
The case was unveiled by the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) and involves companies that were granted 70 percent of the local public car parking contracts since 2012. One of the civil servants is a supervisor. The companies allegedly bribed them into being granted the right to manage parking services.
In a statement issued by CCAC the suspects are accused of receiving “high benefits,” amongst them the above mentioned MOP16 million to facilitate the granting of public parking management services. The total value of the contracts now under suspicion is MOP68 million.
Anther irregular aspect found is that the obligations that the companies assumed under the contracts were not met. The management companies were supposed to have three guards and a cleaning worker in each auto park. However, “for a long time they only allocated one guard to most of the parking spaces,” CCAC states.
DSAT also issued a statement yesterday saying that it has initiated an internal investigation on the two staff workers involved. DSAT also stated it is paying “great attention” to the case and will cooperate with the CCAC and judicial authorities. “In tandem, DSAT will strengthen internal management in order to overcome shortcomings as well as adopt proper measures in order to enforce the normal operation of public car parking spaces,” the statement reads. PB