Members of the Parliamentary Audit Committee reported on Thursday that the overall situation regarding the feeding of soldiers serving in the National Guard was satisfactory, during a discussion of the Audit Office’s Special Report on the matter.
In presenting the report’s findings, the Audit Office’s Director of Audit, Akis Kikas, stated that €10 million is allocated annually for feeding the National Guard, describing the meals as satisfactory in terms of quantity, quality, and the prevention of waste.
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He added that unannounced on-site inspections and meal tastings were conducted both at the catering facilities and in the units’ kitchens, while a questionnaire was distributed to 1,100 soldiers across Cyprus, selected at random, to gauge the National Guard members’ perceptions of the meals provided.
As he explained, three catering systems are in place: the supply and distribution of ready-made meal portions for 44% of the soldiers, the provision of frozen meals to remote outposts for 10% by the same catering company, while 46% are served by units with their own kitchens.
Specifically, he said that catering services are provided in the districts of Larnaca, Famagusta, and Nicosia, while regarding meals, he noted that meat is served 7 times a week in the on-site kitchens, 9 times through catering services, and 8 times via frozen meals. “The EY’s assessment is that the food is very satisfactory,” he noted in this regard.
Regarding the procurement of food and supplies for meal preparation, Mr. Kikas stated that this is done through competitive bidding, ensuring that the government secures the best possible price.
Specifically, he said that the cost of feeding each soldier amounts to €7.5 plus VAT for four meals a day through a catering service, while noting that it is difficult to calculate costs for on-site kitchens, with the estimated cost amounting to €8.15.
He also said that there are currently 21 professional cooks in 17 kitchens; four kitchens have no professional cook, while 4 cooks are assigned to military clubs and 2 kitchens have 2 cooks each, recommending a redistribution of staff so that there is a professional cook in every kitchen.
He added that during surprise inspections, only one thermometer with a certificate of compliance was found, as well as a scale that had not been recently inspected, while some food items had passed their expiration dates.
Regarding the prevention of food waste, he noted that certain foods are not consumed, with soldiers giving fish a low rating, while many turned to the Canteen, with 73% of respondents stating that they avoid certain foods, mainly legumes and fish, while 70% of individuals with special dietary needs reported that their needs are not met by the meals provided.
Regarding the contract with the catering company, he said that it includes a provision for the return of uneaten food, however, this provision has not been implemented, nor has a provision allowing for a 50% reduction in portion sizes, which could lead to savings of €10,000 per week.
He added that meal packaging is not recycled, while the highest rates of waste are observed in units that are fed with pre-packaged meals, reaching 15%.
He added that the overall evaluation by the National Guard members was satisfactory, with lower satisfaction rates regarding the light breakfast, while they rated the cleanliness of the kitchens as satisfactory, requesting an improvement in the variety of meals.
On behalf of the Public Procurement Directorate of the General Accounting Office, Christina Stefanou said that the pilot catering program began in 2018 in Larnaca and in 2019 in Nicosia, while the tender was conducted by the Ministry of Defense.
She added that units with their own kitchens procure raw materials from suppliers through the framework agreement drawn up by the General Accounting Office, with the purchase of raw materials by the kitchens totaling €3.3 million.
For his part, the Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Defense, Stelios Kountouris, spoke of a generally positive picture, adding that several changes have already been initiated and implemented, with ongoing efforts to improve.
He also noted that an electronic ordering system is being implemented to reduce waste, with good results, while dietary and other special needs are being taken into account.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Health’s Health Services stated that the meal plan was developed in collaboration with a clinical dietitian and the Association of Clinical Dietitians.
The Inspector General of the National Guard, Andreas Charalambous, described the evaluation of the food service system—which was extended to the entire National Guard network—as positive, noting that the observations made by the Audit Office are manageable, and their implementation has begun
On behalf of the committee members, AKEL MP Marina Nikolaou expressed concern about the shortage of professional cooks in the kitchens, how many soldiers are fed by these kitchens, and whether any incidents have occurred, while her colleague Nikos Kettiros asked where discarded food is sent and how the quality of raw ingredients is monitored. In response, Mr. Kountouris said that a process to hire professional chefs has been initiated and is currently in the evaluation stage.
DIKO MP Chrysanthos Savvides described the overall picture as positive—which, he said, is the result of the work of the National Guard officers— raising the question of whether food costs were affected by the reduction in military service or remained at the same levels due to the SYOP, while also asking whether the Special Forces receive different meals.
DISY MP Nikos Georgiou asked what mechanism ensures the suitability of raw materials, as well as what food reserves the National Guard maintains in times of crisis or war, and whether there is a supply plan in place in the event of a disruption in the supply chain.
ELAM MP Evgenios Hamboullas expressed concern that some soldiers are not eating their meals and requested that ways be found to encourage the soldiers to consume all their meals.
The Committee Chair, Zacharias Koulias, asked whether the basic workload is covered by these contracts, noting that a competitive bidding process should be held every two years.
Mr. Kikas stated that he had prepared a separate confidential report on pre-packaged rations and the basic supply, which was sent to the Ministry of Defense, but no recorded amounts of waste were found, though efforts are being made to estimate it indirectly.
Mr. Kountouris stated that laboratory inspections at meal preparation facilities are conducted by the State Chemical Laboratory and the Veterinary Services, while inspections of raw materials are conducted upon receipt, with the right to return them.
Mr. Charalambous added that bulk shipments follow a different procedure based on a crisis management plan, and that provisions are in place for larger quantities of food for the Special Forces.
In his remarks following the meeting, Mr. Koulias said that some minor difficulties had been identified, which appear to be resolvable as the process continues.
“The most important thing is that the contract for catering the National Guard is for two years, with the option to renew for another two years. As a Committee, we have pointed out that this is not acceptable. It is best to have a contract for at least two years, but even better to have an annual contract, because prices fluctuate and the contract will yield better results,” he noted in this regard.
“I believe we are in good shape despite the report’s findings. The Army Inspectorate, which oversees all these matters, was present, and I believe the National Guard is making a good effort to ensure that our National Guard members are always properly fed,” he added.
He also highlighted the fact that the meals provided include meat eight times a week. “From a nutritional standpoint, this is not correct. Dietitians need to look into this and take action,” he added.
For his part, Mr. Kettiros said that excellent work has been done in recent years and the results are very satisfactory; however, there are issues for which clarifications were requested at subsequent meetings and which require further review, such as, for example, how much food goes uneaten each day by National Guard members and the reasons why this food is not consumed.
He added that the simultaneous introduction of both catering services and on-site kitchens in some military units appears to yield better results in terms of quality rather than in terms of the difference in—the cost incurred by the National Guard for each soldier—while the Audit Office’s report notes that there are meals that are not consumed by National Guard members, and this reason, the relevant service officials will conduct an audit to adjust the National Guard’s food rations.
He also emphasized that, according to the questionnaire survey, 69% of privates stated that they occasionally or daily purchase items from the Canteen, but 41% choose to buy food outside the camp.
“If so much money is being spent and so many quality controls are in place, and yet some soldiers still choose to eat outside the camp, this is something we need to address—not to punish the young people serving their country, but to find out why they aren’t eating the food,” he noted.
He also said that the relevant National Guard officers were asked to look into the fact that four of the National Guard’s professional cooks are stationed at the officers’ clubs, but there are barracks that do not have professional cooks and where the kitchens are run by enlisted personnel who are graduates of hotel management schools.
Source: CNA
