Polye: Provinces should be rewarded for their performances

Caption: Treasurer Don Polye accepting the WNB provincial budget from WNB Governor Sasindran Muthuvel.

By MATTHEW VARI

Wednesday, February 5, 2014 (Midweek Chronicle, PNG)

TREASURY Minister Don Polye made the comments when approving the West New Britain Provincial Budget along with two other provinces of Jiwaka and Manus last week in Port Moresby.

He praised the WNB Provincial government I sourcing its own revenue from its New Britain Palm Oil Trust to the tune of K27 million.

“Thank you for your budget, shows high level of consistency with the national governments programs such as the STDP and Vision 2050,” Polye said.

“It is really good because while the government is putting money into many provinces and districts in the country who are not showing, with due respect, keen interest in improving their level of revenue base in their own provinces and district.”

“You are the first province in all provinces budget I’ve seen who have put in savings into very important infrastructure development and I would like to commend you for that.”

He added that it also reminded the National Government to look at how it was providing money through the budget.

“Although we have not implemented how we wanted, those provinces who are doing better- I think the National Government should say those doing well and doing more we should give them more.”

“If provinces are not doing well therefore money has been abused or there is no initiative in place to raise revenue in the provinces, we should not reward them with more money.”

“We should say look you’ve not done well and you should fix up your in-house issues in your province and districts and we will concentrate on those who have done well.”

He referred to the current trend as part of the constitution, where there is a high emphasis on egalitarianism (equal distribution) approach where wealth is distributed for everybody.

“I think we should change that approach and mindset and we should be rewarding prudent investment, reward those that are sharing that level of commitment in producing revenues and using saved funds through investments like what the WNB government is doing.”

He however added that the Government was now aiming to build capacities of all provinces and urge them to put to good use the assistance.