Rabat - The Court of Auditors has published a new control report January 18, on the management of the Moroccan Tourism Engineering Company (SMIT).
Rabat – The Court of Auditors has published a new control report January 18, on the management of the Moroccan Tourism Engineering Company (SMIT).
In the report, a list of recommendations was addressed to the company’s management regarding the company’s shortcomings.
The Rabat-based Court of Auditors has called on SMIT to re-examine its business model.
The court’s jury concluded that SMIT is basing its model on “the rentier economy” from which it has benefited since its creation.
This is inconsistent with its status as a state company. The new model proposed by the Court of Auditors emphasizes the principles of productivity, profitability and value creation.
In this regard, the report said that, “the SMIT should develop a genuine and marketable tourism engineering and consulting trade, since it is the only way to allow it an independent survival from the land sales and State subsidies.”
The company has the means to do so, the Court of Auditors added, noting that it has a large number of engineers and managers.
Another important recommendation is that SMIT should be more effective in promoting and soliciting investors. At this level, it is recommended that the company fulfil this mission as part of a comprehensive and well-defined strategy.
This strategy should set action plans with clear and quantifiable objectives, which can help advise of its performance in terms of canvassing and making the necessary adjustments. This has been one of the major shortcomings identified in the work that SMIT has done so far.
In addition, the jury underlined the need for SMIT to respect its commitments and the missions assigned to it in the framework of the implementation of public policies in the field of tourism. The audit report refers to the Vision 2020 project and various regional contracts and programs signed by the State, for which SMIT is supposed to be a facilitator, contributing to the achievement of the objectives set by the government
The purchasers of the SMIT land, however, do not necessarily comply with the valuation clauses provided for in the specifications. SMIT must now, therefore, implement the necessary procedures to enforce these commitments and “to act proactively with local stakeholders in urban planning,” added the Court of Auditors.
Regarding governance, SMIT’s management has also been advised to ensure greater transparency in the management of human resources, particularly during recruitment. They are also expected to avoid any situation of accumulation or inaccuracy in tasks to be performed by contractual experts.
The Court of Auditors focused on the core business of SMIT relating to the conduct of tourism engineering studies and the promotion of investment.
At the same time, it highlighted the results obtained from the various activities of the company.
The case of the Azur Plan was taken as an example to appreciate the contribution of SMIT to the realization of the “tourist product.” This remains the ultimate objective of this public entity.
The assessment also covered activities inherited by the SMIT of Agadir National Development Company (SONABA) and National Development Company of the Bay of Tangier (SNABT), concerning the development of the bays of Agadir and Tangier and supporting activities.
