The Auditor General's identification of serious flaws in Government's handling of capital projects mean that every voter "is being strangled with approximately $1600 worth of overspend" according to the Bermuda Democratic Alliance (BDA).

Bermuda's newest political party also said the findings of the new auditor, Heather Jacobs Matthews, demonstrate that her predecessor Larry Dennis "was not politicising his job when he raised equally serious concerns in the past".

As The Royal Gazette reported on Saturday, Mrs. Jacobs Mathews gave Government's Consolidated Fund a qualified audit — meaning that for the second year in a row the auditor was not satisfied that Government's financial statements fairly reflect its financial position.

She said her report for 2008/09 indicated "serious internal control deficiencies in the management of various capital projects". Capital projects were given a book value of $90 million in March this year but ended up being given authorised funding of $152 million an increase of nearly 70 percent.

When former Auditor General Larry Dennis gave Government's Consolidated Fund a qualified audit for 2007/08, Premier Ewart Brown called for him to resign, claiming he had politicised the job.

Speaking out yesterday, Michael Fahy of the BDA said: "If we narrow down what the Auditor General is saying in that the book value of capital projects was $90 million dollars but in fact $152 million was spent this means every voter is being strangled with approximately $1600 worth of overspend.

"The Alliance has to ask these questions — are the people of Bermuda prepared to accept this mismanagement of their money any longer? When will it end? We have said it before and we will say it again. There is a better way.

"Right now what is going on before us, the squandering of the public purse, is not a better way. Enough is enough. It is high time for this Government to be called to account for being so frivolous. Blaming the worldwide downturn does not justify overspending on capital projects. In fact it would justify being even more frugal. In short, if you did some renovations on your home and the project manager spent 72 percent more than estimated, what would you do?"

Meanwhile Kim Swan, leader of the United Bermuda Party, said Premier Dr. Brown's own Ministry of Tourism and Transport is the "worst offender".

He commented: "The concerns flagged by the new Auditor General in her first official release are most alarming, as Bermudians are experiencing lay offs, redundancies and job closures.

"Whilst my Shadow Finance Minister will be making a more detailed analysis of the report in the following days, the release by the auditor parallels concerns I raised on the Motion to Adjourn (in the House of Assembly) on Friday and is an indictment against the leadership of the Premier's Ministry of Tourism and Transport who have been overspent by more than $35 million, where many projects were untendered."

Mr. Swan concluded: "The time has come for Mr. and Mrs. Bermuda to be the Judge and do the math as major offender of government indiscipline lies with projects and contracts which in recent years have come under the Ministry of Tourism and Transport."