Vulupindi Haus is not a
bank: Abel
By ISAAC NICHOLAS
VULUPINDI Haus in Port Moresby - the headquarters for the departments of Finance, Treasury and National Planning & Monitoring - is not a commercial bank for politicians and landowners, National Planning Minister Charles Abel has said.
By ISAAC NICHOLAS
VULUPINDI Haus in Port Moresby - the headquarters for the departments of Finance, Treasury and National Planning & Monitoring - is not a commercial bank for politicians and landowners, National Planning Minister Charles Abel has said.
Alotau MP says politicians and senior public servants housed at Vulupindi
have abused their office by dishing out public funds, including receiving
“kick-backs”, in the past and this practice must immediately stop.
“I have given clear directions that no money is to be kept here at National Planning any more. National Planning also is not a project manager and our role should be monitoring,” Minister Abel said.
He said previous Ministers who had power over public funds that were held in trust by National Planning were dishing out the funds to their friends and cohorts when they did not have the power or authority to do so.
“This practice must stop. We have now cut out the 2013 budget and gave money to implementing agencies, especially provincial governments and district and local level governments,” the Minister said.
“That is what the government is doing. It is not for Vulupindi House guard and use that money because abuse has happened in the past, including kick-backs.”
Minister Abel said the national government has pumped more money into the districts for capacity building for effective implementation and delivery of services.
“What we are doing is making changes to empower districts and provinces as far as implementation is concerned. For example, the PSTB (provincial supply and tenders board) financial ceiling has been raised from K3 million to K5 million.”
“I have given clear directions that no money is to be kept here at National Planning any more. National Planning also is not a project manager and our role should be monitoring,” Minister Abel said.
He said previous Ministers who had power over public funds that were held in trust by National Planning were dishing out the funds to their friends and cohorts when they did not have the power or authority to do so.
“This practice must stop. We have now cut out the 2013 budget and gave money to implementing agencies, especially provincial governments and district and local level governments,” the Minister said.
“That is what the government is doing. It is not for Vulupindi House guard and use that money because abuse has happened in the past, including kick-backs.”
Minister Abel said the national government has pumped more money into the districts for capacity building for effective implementation and delivery of services.
“What we are doing is making changes to empower districts and provinces as far as implementation is concerned. For example, the PSTB (provincial supply and tenders board) financial ceiling has been raised from K3 million to K5 million.”
Mr Abel said the district project management team ceiling has been raised from
K300, 000 to K500, 000 to give capacity at the district level.
“Under DSIP (district services improvement program) there is more money appropriated there for administrations to help facilitate the planning and scoping of projects,” he said.
Minister Abel said the administration component has been increased from 3-10 per cent so there is more resources at the district level to help implement development programs.
“What we are going to do is to assist the districts put their plans together and deliver on those plans.”
He said the Office of Rural Development (ORD) has been allocated K5 million for monitoring and K5 million to the Auditor General’s office to do auditing at the districts.
“We want Treasury and Finance going into the districts and strengthening the systems down there instead of us sitting here in Waigani and processing individual project submissions and playing games with the money here,” Mr Abel said.
“There are more resources available now to strengthen the accountability system at district level. And public servants should assist.
“Under DSIP (district services improvement program) there is more money appropriated there for administrations to help facilitate the planning and scoping of projects,” he said.
Minister Abel said the administration component has been increased from 3-10 per cent so there is more resources at the district level to help implement development programs.
“What we are going to do is to assist the districts put their plans together and deliver on those plans.”
He said the Office of Rural Development (ORD) has been allocated K5 million for monitoring and K5 million to the Auditor General’s office to do auditing at the districts.
“We want Treasury and Finance going into the districts and strengthening the systems down there instead of us sitting here in Waigani and processing individual project submissions and playing games with the money here,” Mr Abel said.
“There are more resources available now to strengthen the accountability system at district level. And public servants should assist.
No comments:
Post a Comment