PNG Opposition leader Don Polye has challenged country's Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to admit to the nation that the Government has run out of cash.
“There’s no money in the system, the private sector is under stress, there’s liquidity in PNG’s small domestic economy,” he said in Port Moresby yesterday. “The Government cannot easily raise funds for its securities like the Treasury inscribed stock and the Treasury Bills. “No wonder I see the public service and other important and fundamental systems of service now running out of money.” Polye referred to the lack of funding to pay teachers’ airfares as an example from the education sector, a major component of the public service. He told reporters he believed that in the first quarter of 2015, the Government would be looking for money and there would not be any available to even mitigate some challenges. “If there is a disaster in the country, I urge the prime minister to tell the people of PNG if there are funds available for such challenges. “Because from my assessment and from the advice I get through the most reliable and professional systems in place, the Government is running out of money,” Polye said. He said it was likely the Government would not meet some of its capital projects it had planned in the 2015 Budget. He said he was raising the issues because unless the Government knew about these realities and prepared a fall-back plan, the people could be taken unprepared by the economic challenges. “It’s the duty of the Government to get the people prepared and have a fall-back plan as to how it will manage the people’s affairs to continue to deliver services. “The Government’s 2015 Budget will be affected by the current scenario if there is no cash in the public accounts.” Polye questioned why a staff member from the Prime Minister’s Office made statements on national issues when the Treasury Department was the appropriate Government agent to do so. “Why would just one single officer – authorised or not by the prime minister – make statements on very big issues like this that affects PNG without the consent of the Treasury Department? “What authority does one officer have to say something that matters when you’ve got the responsible agent – the department? “The Treasury Department is there to make those assessments. “Treasury is the one that has the know-how, the expertise and everything in black and white to advise the prime minister through the Chief Secretary, not a political staff member.” PNGfacts/The National Comments are closed.
|
Papua New Guinea Breaking NewsPapua New Guinea daily News updates Let Your Voice be heard: Submit your news articles, commentaries, letters , Photos, Media Releases etc to us on this email: pngfacts@gmail.com
Mining & PetroleumTop Links |