INSPECTION OF EMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA (ISP-I-02-26)

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000407 SIPDIS FOR OIG/ISP - COMPLIANCE OFFICER WILLIS INFO: WHA/EX, WHA/CEN, HR/OE, CA/EX AND INL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASIG AMGT APER CMGT SNAR HN SUBJECT: INSPECTION OF EMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA (ISP-I-02-26) REF: A) 02 TEGUCIGALPA 001775 B) 02 STATE 180302 C) 03 STATE 023800 ¶1. Ref C requests a compliance update on OIG's post inspection of Embassy Tegucigalpa, ref: ISP-I-02-26. The inspection was completed in February 2001 and has been in the compliance reporting phase since that time. ¶2. Embassy is providing additional information on the outstanding recommendations. We are not repeating all past exchanges for each recommendation -- only the original recommendation itself is repeated for your reference. ¶3. Recommendation 2: The department should endorse embassy Tegucigalpa's request for two additional Drug Enforcement Administration special agents. Action: INL, in Consultation with Embassy Tegucigalpa. Updated post response: In ref A post provided background Information to INL on the need for these agents. We also included the new positions in the past two Mission Performance Plans for Honduras. We await further action by the INL bureau. ¶4. Recommendation 5: Embassy Tegucigalpa, in coordination with the department, should establish another junior officer position to do non-immigrant and immigrant visa Work. Action: Embassy Tegucigalpa and CA/EX. Updated post response: CA/EX has established and filled a new Consular JO position. The new officer will arrive in March 2003. We assume that CA and WHA will add the necessary position support costs to our budget base this fiscal year. ¶5. Recommendation 6: Embassy Tegucigalpa, in coordination with the Department, should authorize another consular FSN position to handle correspondence and public inquiries. Action: Embassy Tegucigalpa and CA/EX. Updated post response: As stated in Ref A and previously, post is willing to establish a new PSA position. Between WHA and CA, funding issues need to be addressed so that post will have the ongoing program or MRV budget money to fill this position. ¶6. Recommendation 10: Embassy Tegucigalpa, in coordination with the Department, should phase out personnel management services provided to Joint Task Force Bravo for their host country employees. Action: Embassy Tegucigalpa, in coordination with HR/OE. Updated post response: In late September 2002, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Resources (M/DGHR/OE),with the concurrence of OIG/ISP, signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Under the new MOA, State agrees to exercise its PSA hiring authority for an additional two-years with respect to the 62 Honduran nationals working at JTF Bravo, with the understanding that Defense will seek its own PSA authority from the Congress during that time period. Human resources management services for the JTF Bravo Honduran employees will continue under the US Mission's existing ICASS arrangements until September 30, 2004. PALMER