$38 Million Computerized Accounting System Proving Useless in Iraq

[babylonsister]

$38 Million Computerized Accounting System Proving Useless in Iraq

By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 25, 2007; Page A09

A $38 million U.S. effort to create a computerized accounting system for the Iraqi government has been suspended because the Ministry of Finance there has continued to use a paper system, according to the latest report of Stuart W. Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction.

"Nobody noticed" when the computerized Iraq Financial Management Information System was inoperable for a month, and no one relies on it to produce reports, Bowen said in a report released by his office yesterday.

Bowen's statement follows a disclosure earlier this month by the Government Accountability Office that $8 million was spent to train about 500 Iraqi government employees in various ministries to use the computerized system, but the Finance Ministry refused to drop its paper spreadsheets.

Installation of the new accounting system was halted last May when a British contractor and his security team were kidnapped from the Ministry of Finance office, located outside the protected Green Zone where many international officials live and work.

Bowen reported that despite the substantial U.S. investment in the system, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad "does not have a firm plan or strategy for addressing the next steps in the development of the system."

The experience is not unique, according to the GAO. Despite U.S. spending of $300 million the past two years to improve the capacity of Iraq's ministries -- and with $255 million more sought for next year -- a recent GAO report said progress has been stalled not only by poor security but also by pervasive corruption, a shortage of competent personnel, and sectarian and political control of appointments.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/24/AR2007102402405.html

[CottonBear]

1. But of course.

:(

[babylonsister]

2. So much waste when it's so needed in this country. And I suppose

this will be written off as 'lesson learned'. :argh:

[Javaman]

6. Iraq: biggest money laundering operation ever!. nt

[krispos42]

3. Well, they didn't spend enough on it

Some poor contractor didn't make the nine figures BushCo promised him yet.

[jbonkowski]

4. I suppose no one realized...

That you need reliable electricity to start using a computerized system. The story doesn't even list that as a reason for delays in ministry improvements, but it seems obvious it would be a factor.

jim

[Javaman]

5. ohhhh, you have to switch it on for it to work, silly me...

:banghead:

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. After watching how things have been "counted" in the last major elections over here, maybe they

figured it was best to do it by hand??

I know I sure wouldn't want ** and co to balance my checkbook.

[TimBean]

8. we need to elect a President who promises to get us out of this shithole

endless waste of lives and money.