An independent auditor says the Northern Marianas government's huge budget deficit almost doubled in the four years of the Babauta administration.
Deloitte and Touche showed that the government's cumulative deficit reached $174.5 million US dollars at the end of the 2005 fiscal year.
It also showed an almost 100 percent increase since the 2001 financial year when the deficit stood at $87.9 million US dollars.
The Saipan Tribune reports the Babauta administration took office in January 2002, three months after the 2001 financial year began and was in office for four years.
