ANOTHER CONTRACTOR WINDFALL BUDGET

JASON K WAUGLE

"Try have a look at this circular...all government departments won't be getting their end of the year warrants except for personal emoluments...don't know how the departments will operate until the beginning of 2015 financial year???, a source said.

The source expressed serious concern about how government departments are going to function because the financial year starts at the end of February or beginning of March every year and maybe all public servants might as well go home and comeback when the warrants for next year are ready to be released.

In Circular Instruction No.05/2014 dated 14th November 2014 and addressed to all Heads of Departments and Statutory Bodies with the subject entitled ‘2014 Budget Savings’, Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc Kt OBE, Chief Secretary to Government from the Department of Prime Minister & National Executive Council based at Morauta Haus in Waigani, Port Moresby said the following:

“I seek the urgent cooperation of all Agency Heads in the implementation of decisive and urgent action to ensure the Government delivers on its commitment to stay within its strict fiscal settings agreed in the 2014 Budget.”

“As you may be aware there has been a tightening of the Government’s fiscal situation in 2014. There are several factors involved including a decline in tax revenues due to falls in some key commodity prices, increased costs associated with the completion of facilities for the 2015 South Pacific Games and increased costs on Government debt.”

“Owing to these pressures on our National Budget, some adjustments of agency budgets will be necessary to bring down aggregate Government expenditure to a level that maintains the 2014 Budget deficit at or below 5.9% of GDP an ensures the total debt to GDP ratio does not exceed 35%.”

“As we are at a late stage of the year action to curtail spending needs to be immediate if it is to be effective. Accordingly, I have directed the Secretary for Treasury to cease all warrant releases (except for personal emoluments), effective immediately. Further, all Agency Heads are to immediately return to the Waigani Public Account all uncommitted monies held in agency bank accounts. Under no circumstances are funds to be transferred to trust accounts.”

“Thank you in anticipation of your complete support for the implementation of this difficult but critically important measure.”

No wonder Papua New Guinea Opposition Leader Hon. Belden Norman Namah was ‘furious’ on the floor of parliament yesterday at the lack of budgetary data for a budget worth K16.2 Billion. Yesterday officials reportedly arrived about two hours late to the annual Budget Lockup in the Parliament State Function Room with no Budget Books as the Budget Books reportedly ‘were still being printed’.

The Opposition Leader, who described the budget as not the People’s Budget but the Contractors Budget, said earlier today: "Yes, because the most important part of the Budget Book is the Capital Expenditure. That was not presented yesterday. Budget is an Act of Parliament hence it must be presented in its entirety. This is criminal. This is a clear indication of a government which has lost total control in the management of our beautiful country. This budget is another windfall for the contractors. I call it "ANOTHER CONTRACTORS WINDFALL BUDGET".


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