Minister of Finance Youssef Boutros Ghali said last week final economic figures for 2006 show a 6.8 percent increase in the country's gross domestic product to LE 618 billion, up from the preliminary government estimate of LE 593 billion.

Ghali's comments came in light of fresh public criticism that only the country's limited upper class was feeling the relatively infant economic upswing. A Council of Ministers study released last week showed nearly 70 percent of the public felt the economy is not improving and nearly 50 percent said democracy is absent from the political process and government corruption is widespread.

Minister of Economic Development Othman Mohamed Othman said he is aware of the public's distrust of the government and the figures it reports on economic progress, but defended the competence of the government's reporting authorities.

Responding to reformists' suggestions that government figures undergo independent audits to confirm accuracy, Othman said the government cannot allow its work to be audited because it already implements internationally-endorsed practices.