Sir,

Whilst I applaud the press coverage of Pembrokeshire news in the Observer and regard it to be the conduit for all local news, the recent report on BBC Wales does seems to highlight the need for some rigorous investigative journalism in a wider context.

The programme in question reported, through the Welsh Assembly auditorial staff, that 19 separate cases of monies awarded for Grant Funding were misspent. Neither the sums of money involved nor the names of those firms receiving the funds were disclosed, but it was acknowledged that the administration and communication throughout the system needed stringent scrutiny and overhaul.

So it appears that an undefined but substantial amount of tax-payers' money has been wasted and nobody has been held accountable.

Surely the major point here is that until all the facts are presented in a transparent and open manner, there can be no real understanding of how to correct these gross errors in public spending. Indeed it could be argued that the lack of transparency has helped to contribute to the present mismanagement. Moreover, the money wasted is poured into a bottomless pit and lost forever, while deserving and well-managed firms which could well benefit from support are denied such an opportunity.

There are, of course, many issues at stake, but I do hope my letter will cause a hare to run!

Roger Cryer,