MPs accuse EHP of depriving Simbu from coffee grant

By ZACHERY PER
TWO Members of Parliament from Simbu province yesterday accused Eastern Highlands province of depriving their province of benefiting from their coffee derivation grant.
Kundiawa Gembogl MP Joe Mek Teine and Chuave MP Jim Nomane pointed this out yesterday at the Simbu provincial assembly during the passing of the province’s 2008 budget.
They said Simbu had increased its coffee production over the past two years, however, the coffee derivation grant to the province had been reduced from K434,700 last year to K144, 600 this year.
Mr Teine said much of the coffee grown in Simbu were produced and exported from Goroka that earned the derivation grant to the Eastern Highlands province.
He called on Simbu Governor Fr John Garia to establish a monitoring system to look into the coffee trading business to increase the derivation grant.
His colleague Mr Nomane confirmed that much of the coffee produced from his Chuave district was sold to coffee businesses in Goroka, thus, earning the grant to their province.
He also supported Mr Teine reiterating the call for a monitoring system to be set up.
Meanwhile, Mr Teine also raised that Simbu could increase the VAT earming to over K200,000 annually, saying that the province could make more from beer sales.
He said over the past five years, the province had been earning K80,000, that could have been increased had the province was careful in collecting taxes.