The Government today handed down a conservative national budget of 14.2 billion Kina for 2016, with a projected deficit of 2 billion Kina.
This is a fall from the 2015 budget of 15-billion Kina. The theme of the budget is supporting economic growth through fiscal discipline, and is framed against a weak global economy, slower economic growth brought on by the El Nino induced drought and low commodity prices. Despite the fall in revenue, the Government is maintaining support to its key priority areas in education, health, infrastructure, agriculture, law and order as well as small to medium enterprises. It's also allocated funding of 50 million Kina for drought disaster program, as well as funding to prepare for the hosting of major events such as the 2017 national elections and and the APEC leaders summit in 2018. The Government also handed down the 2015 supplementary budget which sees expenditure cuts of 1.2 billion Kina. Meantime, an attempt by the Opposition to stop Parliament passing down the 2016 budget this afternoon was not successful. The House vote 84-votes in favor to 12-against, for an adjournment to next week, when the budget can be passed. An angry Opposition Leader Don Polye, says it was undemocratic for the Government to hand down the national budget, and trying to get it passed by Parliament the same day. "Lo Tradition blo disla Parliament em olsem Parliament i mas gat taim olsem Sevenpla days lo debate na skelim, na galasim gut displa budget. Lukluk gut, na pipol blo PNG tu ken toktok wantaim ol representatives blo ol, weh ol i members blo Parliament representim ol lon hia, taim ol i sikelim disla bikpla tik buk ya. Em nomol tradition blo West Minister System, em nomol tradition blo Democracy, em nomol wok mipla wokim andanit lo process blo Parliament, olgeta taim since Independence.Independence. Nau taim mi lukim olsem disla government em i laik just handim daun na pasim same taim, mi no tin olsem disla em i correct process. Mi tin Olsem disla em burukim system blo West Minister system of governance, mi no even tin olsem ol ministers inside lo cabinet i save lo disla budget, ol members inside lo government tu ino klia,...Em i hijackim process na em i nontransparent.!! Acting Parliament Speaker Aide Ganasi, said there's a precedence where the national budget was handed down by the Government and passed the same day by Parliament, and that there is nothing wrong.
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