THE Council of Ministers owes more than US$1 million to a state-owned Internet provider. Camnet. Deputy Prime Minister Sok An revealed the total, but not the firms concerned, at an IT meeting Wednesday.

"The Internet is expensive, and the last time we calculated it the Council of Ministers owes more than $1 million," he said.

Phu Leewood, secretary general of the National Information Communications Development Authority (NiDA), which falls under the remit of the Council, confirmed Camnet is the unpaid ISP.

He said every government ministry and institution connects through Camnet and has done so at no cost since 2001. He said even NiDA owes Camnet money but cannot pay because its budget is insufficient.

Lao Saroeun, Camnet's director general, said his company provides Internet and phone access to the government and is owed money by every ministry. "We always remind them, yet my debt report keeps increasing month by month," he said.