By MATTHEW VARI
THE Minister for Finance James Marape was responding to queries from the Opposition on the delivery of funds under the DSIP, PSIP, and LLGSIP funds that were still owing to members.
Minister Marape stated that the allocation of funds under the Services Improvement Programs were a result of government policy, adding that the policy was run in accordance with the availability of funds.
“These are funds that are given based on the availability of cash flow, every time when we go to the public debt committee we sit and we decide, we decide on which programs to roll out,” Minister Marape said.
“Sometimes when there are limited funds- we decide on which program, which priority areas get funded first.”
“Based on cash flow, the O’Neill-Dion Government is not here to discriminate between government and opposition- it all boils down to cash flow.”
Marape reiterated that the issue on cash flow and the opportunity cost was on him to decide, as empowered to him by the public finance management.
“On the principle of opportunity cost I decide on which are priority areas to invest my friends,” he said.
“Please appreciate the fact that you all that money is still going into your account- the government is not in the business of sabotaging any one district on the development agenda of this country.”
“If we feel that the District or LLG is not implementing properly, we also have the power at the provincial and national level, and many members in government have not received entitlements yet.”
He said that in 2-14, PSIP and DSIP on were on record at 80 percent, for some district 70 percent, and some 60 percent dished out.
“Let me refute some allegations coming form the other side that some districts only received 30 percent and I will be coming out to media next week to point on which allocations that have gone out,” the Minister said.
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