Government paid out more than $1 million in penalties after it submitted late financial statements late in 2015 and 2016, the House of Assembly heard.

The details emerged as Government MP Rolfe Commissiong questioned Wayne Furbert, the junior Minister of Finance.

Mr Furbert told MPs that the Government had to pay its creditors $410,000 for 2015 and $640,000 for 2016.

He added that the money could have gone to “scholarships, or helping our seniors”.

The figures came from the OBA administration. But Mr Furbert declined to give details when asked by the Opposition about the cause of the delay — although there had been no similar payment in 2014.