Probe committees in Bahrain will investigate criminal violations involving BD400 million ($1.05 billion) of squandered public money, a report said.

The alleged crimes cited in the National Audit Court (NAC) 2013-14 report will be referred to the Public Prosecution, parliament financial and economic affairs committee member Mohammed Al Ahmed was quoted as saying in a report published in the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

'The latest report has surveyed up to BD400 million in squandered public money for the last two years,' he said.

In a statement yesterday (March 7), he said legislators would soon discuss key recommendations which would pave the way for quizzing ministers and setting up committees to investigate violations.

He said the government has yet to address these recurrent violations, claiming that government departments circumvent legislation and the law on tenders.

'These squandered funds could have achieved a lot of things for citizens,' he said.

He urged parliament to take a strong stance in dealing with the violations which are repeatedly cited in NAC's successive reports ever since it was established.

The NAC 2013-14 report surveyed 14 violations at Bapco while alleged squandered money stood at BD209 million.

Alba was mentioned with 24 alleged violations, while squandered funds remain unspecified.

National carrier Gulf Air was cited with 14 alleged violations and BD7 million in squandered public money.

The report also refers to 25 violations for Banagas while wasted money totalled BD38m.

The list cited by Mr Al Ahmed featured the Health Ministry (20 violations '“ squandered money unspecified), Foreign Ministry (19 violations; BD3.8 million), Education Ministry (12 violations; BD4.4 million), Transportation Ministry (one violation; BD8.8 million) and Culture Ministry (17 violations; BD2.1 million in squandered money and other unspecified and unaccounted for amounts).

The NAC report has also cited the Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry (two violations; BD42 million), the five municipal councils (five violations; BD18 million), the Jaffari Endowments (23 violations; BD5.3 million) and Sunni Endowments (23 violations; BD3.3 million). – TradeArabia News Service