GOVERNMENT Ministers and civil servants could still be flouting credit card rules, despite official assurances to tighten regulations.

Shadow Finance Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin spoke out after it was revealed that a total credit card bill of more than $150,000 was racked up by officials in 21 months up to the end of last year.

The figure was released last week by Finance Minister Paula Cox, who also revealed that an additional $77,610 was dished out from Government coffers in per diem travel expenses.

Last night Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin pointed out that in May, 2005, Auditor General Larry Dennis issued a report listing a catalogue of credit card abuses among Government representatives. A sample audit of 66 credit card statements showed that a massive 86 per cent flouted the rules.

Among Mr. Dennis' findings were

Eleven charges not related to Government business.

Forty-one incidents of no supporting documents.

Eleven cases of charges being levied because of late payment.

Fifteen cases of charges being incurred locally.

Mr. Dennis also also noted that regulations on credit card use were ambiguous, a fact which the Accountant General agreed to address.

Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin said: "The concern that we have is that the misuse of credit cards effectively means that the taxpayer is being hit unduly, and I question whether effective policies surrounding the use of credit cards are now being implemented.

"Credit card use ought to be screened more scrupulously by the Accountant General's Department so that only appropriate charges are passed on to the tax payer.

"Credit cards should be paid only to the extent of supporting documentation, with the balance being borne by the card holder. In addition, any card holder's account that is delinquent by 30 days should have the card suspended.

"Resulting from the Auditor General's concerns expressed in his report dated May 2005, some of the issues relating to credit card use, not only by Ministers, but also by some civil servants.

"There was evidence that is an unacceptably high rate of non-compliance by credit cardholders regarding documentary and other policy requirements.

"There is a provision for charges for incidentals required during business related travel to be allowed, within reason. This provision certainly flies in the face of the payment of and reason for the per diem allowance which is intended to take care of incidentals. If incidentals are allowed as well as a per diem, the per diem effectively becomes another salary increase.

"We would like to see a system where at the least, the per diem allowance is accounted for, and any unused portion, reimbursed.