North Fly MP questions PM over government funding woes

Member for North Fly, James Donald, has queried the continuous funding issues faced by certain government departments.

Donald said several funding requests for projects in his district requiring government assistance were denied, stating the departments have no funds available.

“We’re running on air,” James said of the responses he received from several ministries.

He revealed that the Agriculture and Livestock Department's committed funding for the cattle farming project has not been made available and the Tourism Ministry also failed to present the K300,000 dedicated to the Selkambang festival.

The North Fly MP further publicized the National Planning’s K5 million rice projects, which has not seen any funding progress despite the approval.

Donald said such funding issues indicate that the government is in debt due to economic mismanagement.

He questioned Prime Minister James Marape over the endless finance concerns which have halt the progress of these important projects in North Fly.

“Why are these ministries functioning without money? Appointing more, allocating more but not making work for the country. Is this an indication that the country has no money?” the North Fly MP asked PM.

“His [Marape-Rosso] government is mismanaging this country. I have reliable people in this country. How come people are borrowing plenty of money?”

PM Marape in response said government funding is sometimes delayed, remitted and is lesser than what it is forecasted in the budget.

Mr Marape admitted that the national government is running broke.

“It's far from the truth. We give money according to what we collect. Budgets are forecasted. What we collect, to the best ability, we disburse. And all districts have received money,” he said.

But, Mr Marape said key sectors have received portion of funding allocated from the budget which can be utilized with the support of district and provincial basket.

He confessed that the actual amount indicated in the budget for each of the ministries is not given in full, so it is equally important for districts and provinces to chip in as well to move the projects in their areas.

“Government funding alone is small in respect to these sectors getting to be worked upon. We allocate funding to facilitate the office and to assist partners to have investment in this sector,” he said.

“Our key partner is districts where land and people can participate in this sector. Every district, for instance, has a 10% allocation from their service improvement fund for the economic sector.”