According to the Auditor General of the City of Buenos Aires (AGCBA, for its acronym in Spanish), "there was a lack of inspection of park maintenance work performed by third parties," generated in the squares of Buenos Aires, "the works done are of low quality finishes, non weather resisting, and bar fences that do not serve the function for which they were designed." The Audit adds that in 2007, in the Department of Landscape Areas there were "failures of organization, planning, internal control procedures, and management information." 

The watchdog analyzed the Green Spaces Administration, which was responsible for the refurbish of all the parks and squares of the city program. According to a report, approved this year on data from 2007, the Department "failed to meet several primary responsibilities, such as the remodeling and maintenance of green spaces or implementing improvements in programs and services infrastructure and park equipment."

In addition, during the period analyzed, the AGCBA detected "unpredictability (in the program) to tender and contract awards, without comprehensive survey of the deficiencies of the project to be executed." Thus, "the final amounts of two contracts to third parties widened to 48% and deadlines twice expanded as planned." 

Similarly, the audit notes that since the program a modular system of bared fences for 37 playgrounds "did not comply with the current regulations of the City Government on playground safety", which could lead to the "entrapment" of the children’s fingers in the bars. 

The report adds that "this led to a substantial modification of the original contract, the project and the final amounts for the provision and installation of fences, from $470,324 to $1,399,490". And that "the administration initiated the installation of new railings without budget or approval."

Moreover, the AGCBA considered that the Board has made a "serious mistake" in bringing "the authorization for payment of $644,883 to the company and not PLANOBRA SA and not to SAMU SRL, which was (who finally) completed the work at Plaza Rafael Hernandez."

As for the documentation, "they had poor or no response to the request (of the AGCBA) on action by purchasing and contracting." Of the 29 cases of action requested by the inspection body, only eight were made available.

Details of the audited cases 

According to the audit, in regard to the repairs of the Latin American Unity Square, located between the streets Medrano, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Acuña de Figueroa "100% was paid for a work which did not have any controls and its finished work was of poor quality." Even in places Álzaga Hernandez and was reached to authorize full payment of work before completion.

At the same time, the report notes that the Latin American Unity Square, "the maintenance was not enough to sustain the original state of the place", bars and banks were of poor quality, "most tree species were not planted” and "the lighting was inadequate, because it is projected from a great height without considering the future growth of foliage." 

At Plaza Houssay, between Cordoba Avenue, Junin and Uriburu "serious construction deficiencies" were found. According to the report "it was not possible to resolve the security and points were unfenced." "Rails that were not finished and oxidized, uneven steps and tips in encounters with ramps" were also found.

Similarly, the audit found that in Almargo Plaza, located between Perón, Sarmiento, Bulnes and Salguero streets, "the railings had longer lengths without any vertical studs, they were due and bent because of the weight of people's sitting or hanging on them."

In the Plaza Vicente Lopez, one of the most significant faults the AGCBA that detected was placing "bars that remain closed 24 hours" and therefore represents "a clear exclusion for the use of public space." 

Finally the Auditor General of the City of Buenos Aires, says that "in all the actions surveyed there were no records of inspection or control of the construction jobs" and a "lack of technical documentation to support the development of the reconstruction."