http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20091221/mohome.htmBy GORETHY KENNETH
THE AUTONOMOUS Bougainville Government last Friday reluctantly passed its K173 million 2010 Budget despite reservations of the K15 million let down in the National Government’s 2010 Budget allocation to the region.
Treasurer Mathias Salas presented the Budget which was passed by the ABG cabinet and the Bougainville Executive Council, later tabled in the region’s House of Representatives at Kubu in Buka.
The Budget was made up of the K63 million allocated by the National Government to the ABG in its 2010 National Budget and also included in this money plan as outlined in the summary were:
* Internal Revenue K10,540,000.
* National Governments grants K98,862,500.
* Re-appropriated National Government Program (DSIP) K12,000,000.
* Re-appropriated ABG programs (2009 PIP) K8,610,000.
* Balance of funds carried forward (2008 PIP) K4,820.000.
* Balance of funds carried forward (2008 recurrent) K900,000.
* Donor K37,105,000.
ABG’s budget for 2010 was K172,837,800.
Cabinet members were reluctant to pass the 2010 budget during the ABG House final sitting for 2009.
The unwillingness of some members of the house in passing the budget was based on the fear that the National Government may not honor its commitment to giving the ABG the K15 million for its restoration and development program.
The non-allocation of this funding by the National Government has led to the Finance Minister Mathias Salas issuing a press statement expressing ABG’s disappointment over the issue. In presenting the region’s budget Mr Salas announced that the Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Prime Minister Sir Dr Puka Temu had assured the ABG leadership that this funding would be given to the ABG and would be prioritised in the supplementary budget in March 2010.
Mr Salas described the allocation as a significant boost to the development efforts being implemented in Bougainville.
He said this budget was not the same as the Government’s earlier budgets that focused on recovery from the effects of the Bougainville conflict while at the same time implementing a new Government.
Mr Salas said the restoration and development program with direct funding from the National Budget were some of the first steps in implementing ABG’s initiatives to rebuild and revitalise the economy and broaden the economic base in Bougainville. Some of these initiatives included the oil palm project in Torokina and the introduction and promotion of coffee as an alternative cash crop for the people of Bougainville. The rural electrification program would also be applied in 2010. It is seen as a high impact project. Mr Salas said the Government’s main task is to put the economy of the region on broad footing, which, at present is narrow-based.
The members agreed to pass the budget and urged the executive government and the administration to follow up on the K15 million assurances to make sure it is appropriate in the supplementary budget in March 2010.
The March budget session would also be the last sitting for this government before facing the people in the election.