Millions Astray from Guatemala Budget
Guatemala s General Finance Office detected more than 900 anomalies in the implementation of 22 million dollars of the 2006 budget, according to a report disclosed Thursday.

The government entities irregularities include irregular fund transfers, payment for works that were never made or were overvalued, and violations of the State Contracting Law.

The report sustains that the Military Planning Institute bought vehicles, computers and homes for 8.5 million dollars that the government had assigned to pay off demobilized soldiers.

Meanwhile the Health Ministry acquired medicines worth 1.7 million dollars, although several of them did not meet the requirements established by the Control of Pharmaceutical Products Department.

The National Polo Association also faced a denunciation for purchasing an overvalued field, at nearly one million dollars.

Other entities involved in the budget irregularities were the migration office, civil aeronautics and highways, as well as the National Peace Fund (FONAPAZ) and the Guatemalan Housing Fund (FOGUAVI).