The K10 million for each district is not free money that can be used for school fees and other purpose, national planning and district development minister Paul Tiensten told Parliament yesterday.|
Mr Tiensten said the Government allocated the money to change the lives and the living standard of people in the district level and the money is tied to specific programmes according to Government development goals and objectives.
The leader of government business and Pomio MP said that Cabinet had approved for 3% or K300,000 draw-down from the K10 million for scope of work on projects by individual MP’s from the 89 districts.
He said the K10 million was put for each sector that included education, health, transport, law and order and transport infrastructure.
“This is not free money. It does not mean you request today and receive it tomorrow.
There are guidelines to follow, Public Finance Management Act must be followed to drawdown the money,” he said.
Minister Tiensten said the money was put in by sector and there was no money for school fees because the Government had already allocated K143 million separately for education subsidy.
The minister was responding to questions from Mendi MP Isaac Joseph, who said new MP’s are using their own pocket money to scope of work as the guidelines to accessing the money was very tight.
Mr Joseph asked whether the 3% drawdown had been agreed and how many more steps it would take for MP’s to get money as schools have already started.