The Department of National Roads overspent its budget by $18.84 million in the year 2006.

The Public Accounts Committee which has just completed its analysis of the Auditor General’s Report on the Infrastructure Services Sector 2006 said the department had a revised budget of $52.24 million.

This comprised of 55 percent Capital Expenditure, 34 percent Operating Expenditure and 11 percent VAT.

The Capital Expenditure was for new roads and maintenance of roads, jetties and bridges and the Third Fiji Road Upgrading Project.

The Accounts Committee said the Department of National Roads Other Funds account also had variances that could not be ascertained nor explained by the department.

More anomalies have come to light from the 2006 accounts of the office of the Divisional Engineer Western.

The Accounts Committee said the department overspent by more than $2.32 million or approximately more than 200 percent of the allocated budget.

The awarding of contracts by the department also showed the penalty clause not being imposed on the Grading contract awarded.

The Committee said there were also misappropriations of funds by officers in the Western Division’s Accounts section.

The misappropriation involved 3 divisional staff who were then posted to other units of the department rather than being penalized for their wrong doing.

The case was only reported to the Police 4 months later.