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When a President’s office exceeds its transport budget by over 50%

The President’s office which is regarded as one of high symbolic value but little or no executive powers exceeded its approved transport budget by 52% in 2000 according to a report issued by the office of the auditor general

President Guido De Marco’s office spent Lm9,352 more than the budget allocated in his transport budget of Lm18,000. Lm12,084 was used for maintenance of vehicles, Lm1,213 for self drive, Lm13,621 for fuel, while Lm435 was undefined expenses. At a total of Lm27,532 the President was close to spending nearly as much as on travel, which stood at Lm29,000.

In 2000, the President had an overall approved estimate of Lm552,000 but his overspending went through the roof, totalling Lm618,000.

But transport budgetary mishaps are not restricted only to the President; the Ministry of Home Affairs exceeded its budget by 37%, spending Lm13,726 more than the Lm37,000 it was allocated.

Other ministries had better showings and this included a savings of 11% for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on a budget of Lm117,000, 5% for the Health Ministry for a budget of Lm366,000, 8% for the Agriculture Ministry with a budget estimated at Lm326,000 and 11% for the Finance Ministry with a budget of Lm25,000.

The auditor’s reports states in very clear terms: "The irregularities in the use of government owned/hired vehicles have been reported upon repeatedly."

In 2000, the budget for hire of self drive cars stood at over half a million - Lm564,091 - while the budget for fuel was Lm1,333,176.

The government is under close scrutiny from the media and the public for its bloated public sector and spending problems. In 2000, the global estimated budget stood at Lm5.6 million; an increase of half a million on 1999.