“Unlike PMJM, I believe in transparency, accountability and good governance. Our budget is for the people, not for misappropriation.” Allan Bird, MP.
Accountability and Governance: A Response to Prime Minister James Marape’s Concerns
by Allan Bird | PNG SUN
Let me apologise for the late reply to the Prime Minister James Marape’s concerns about our prudent management of K100 million in our provincial budget.
PM Marape’s news article: https://lnkd.in/g5Jndg3A
Unfortunately, I do not read the Prime Minister’s public statements anymore because they are mass produced and quite frankly, not worth reading. So, I missed this one until someone pointed out that I should respond.
Apparently, I hit a raw nerve somewhere to attract the ire of the Prime Minister.
Unlike PMJM, I believe in transparency and good governance. So when project funds come to the province, we ensure they are spent in the right places.
The Provincial Government does not have the luxury to misappropriate funds and pass a supplementary budget to legalise the misappropriation at the end of the year.
We also hardly receive any PIP funds, so when we do, I insist on Public Servants using the funds for the benefit of the people following the Public Finance Management rules so funds are not stolen or misappropriated.
ICAC made a statement earlier this year that up to K5 billion a year of public funds is misappropriated in PNG annually (The National, September 26, 2024).
Thankfully that misappropriation did not occur in ESP.
Just this week, the Ombudsman Commission directed an investigation into a payment listing that looks a lot like ‘thank you’ for political support costing the country over K250 million.
I wonder how often this practice has occurred under the management of our good PM?
PM Marape knows very well that the work of MPs is oversight, not micromanagement. Implementation is the work of the Public Service machinery. It is not my job to award contracts, supervise work or raise cheques.
Perhaps, because he is micromanaging the country, he expects all MPs to do the same. Some of us are trained in management; we know where the boundaries are. I have never once interfered with the operations of any public servants in ESP.
I let them do their job. They can be slow, and I don’t like it, but I will not give them a list of people to be paid.
In terms of service delivery in ESP, the following services need significant improvement. They are:
1. Law Enforcement;
2. Electricity supplies;
3. Water supplies in town;
4. Lack of Foreign exchange;
5. Lack of fuel supplies; and,
6. Maintenance of National Highways.
Last time I checked, these are all National Government responsibilities, not Provincial.
On that note, let me say how pleased I am that NEC will be awarding the tenders for our Sepik Roads soon. I hope the tender amounts will be paid into a trust account to ensure the contractors get paid and not have them waiting at DOW for many months to be paid as is the current practice.
So can the PM kindly spell out which Provincial Government responsibilities we have failed to deliver on?
Instead of worrying about K100 million…
Full article: https://lnkd.in/gXn5fRkC
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