‘Zero tolerance towards misusing public funds’

The administrative and financial violations mentioned in the annual National Audit Office (NAO) report were reduced by 38 per cent in comparison to the previous one, it was announced yesterday.

This was stated by Parliament and Information Affairs Minister and official government spokesperson Isa bin Abdulrahman Al Hammadi during a press conference that followed the weekly Cabinet meeting, which was chaired by Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa at Gudaibiya Palace yesterday.

During the press conference, Al Hammadi confirmed that the government was taking the recommendations and remarks mentioned in the NAO report seriously to preserve the spending of public funds.

Al Hammadi announced that this year’s report consisted of 288 remarks, while in 2012, it mentioned 404.

He also said that the government had adapted new administrative procedures to deal with the remarks mentioned in the report.

“A committee was formed and headed by Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. The committee would analyse the information and then deal with it in accordance with three classifications. The remarks that include criminal suspicious would be referred to the judicial authority. Other remarks would require internal auditing and investigation. Some remarks would require administrative procedures within the official bodies,” Al Hammadi added.

However, the minister also said that confirmed “four remarks mentioned in the report were referred to the Public Prosecution, in comparison to 25 cases referred to the judicial body two years back”.

Accusations To Be Held Accountable

During his speech, the minister pointed out that many were exploiting the report to make baseless accusations.

He affirmed that “the government has the right to hold accountable any individual who accuse the government of wasting public funds”.