Provincial government crippling

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, May 22, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

GOVERNOR for Oro Gary Juffa revealed on Wednesday at an Opposition conference the decapitated state at which his provincial government was suffering in light of functional grants not making their way to the province.

He said the issue is with Oro but is one that concerns the whole country of the state of the financial situation.

“Oro province has not been paid its functional grants since November. Seven months of non-payments of functional grants. These are the constitutional rights of our people,” Governor Juffa said.

“We need these funds so that we can roll out programs and government services especially in the health sector for our people who have missed out in the last seven months.”

“I am meeting with the secretary for treasury I have asked that he prepare reasons as to why we have not been paid these funds. Why Oro has not received these funds.”

He said four high schools in the province were now on the brink of collapse or about to close, with aid posts also unable to pay their casual staff.

“The population in Oro are now making their way to Popondetta to get treatment at the general hospital and placing a huge burden on the already constrained services from the Popondeta hospital.”

“I want to know if this is something affecting other provinces or is it only Oro that is being punished this way.”

“Only about two week ago we received the grants for February. It’s strange that they did not pay the grants for November, December January, but they paid for February, but failed to pay for March, April and May,” he said.

He said despite warrants being issued, funds were not present when taken to the bank.

“How can public servants do their work? How can they perform? How can deliver the programs and government services that the people require and need?”

“Our police station had to release the remandees because we couldn’t afford to feed them- the CIS has informed prisoners that their relatives will have to step up and start feeding them because they do not have the funds to feed them.”

“What is going in this country? How is it on the one hand we have been told that the economy is doing great and there is positive growth, but on the other hand we can’t deliver basic services to our people.”

The governor called for the truth from all politicians in Government to confess and confirm the economic crisis and the solutions on how to solve it.

“In regard to the functional grants it is starting to cost lives. People cannot access medical services and medicines that they need out there.”

“After our meeting on Thursday (May 19) we will consider taking the government to court because these grants are the constitutional entitlements of the people.”

“I cannot continue to sit back and watch my people suffer because the government decides that it is not going to pay constitutional grants.”