Border funds query
MORE than K10 million in vital border development projects have been delayed as two Government departments try to work out who should be responsible for the multi-million border funding.
These projects in Sandaun and Western provinces and the Bougainville Autonomous region included upgrading of the Wutung border post (Sandaun) to similar level as the Indonesian post to allow for the official opening of the road link with Indonesia, already 18 months behind schedule.
These projects were earmarked for funding this year through the Border Development Programme administered by the Provincial and Local Government Affairs Department since 1979.
However, Treasury and Finance Minister Patrick Pruaitch says he is now responsible for border development and has not released the funds that Provincial and Local Government Affairs is seeking.
Mr Pruaitch’s assumption of border development responsibilities has come as a surprise to many in Provincial and Local Government Affairs who claim the department had not been informed officially of the change of status.
A total of K20 million was set aside in the 2008 National Budget for the Border Development Programme – the biggest allocation for border development since 1979 after the Government noted the need to improve security and increase border trade.
From this money, K8 million would be used to set up a new border post in Bougainville in line with an NEC decision last year to cover the PNG-Solomon Islands maritime border.
This is a capital works project involving the construction of 10 staff houses, office, communication facilities, electricity supply, motor vehicles and motorised dinghies.
Provincial Affairs said the post was a priority because of continuous and increased security problems in Bougainville associated with smuggling of weapons, drugs and illegal movement of people.
Border officials in Vanimo said at the weekend that they have been looking forward to the release of about K2.5 million for the construction of a two-storey office complex (K2 million), sealing of the car park area at the border post (K100,000), repair and maintenance of staff houses in Wutung (K200,000), Wutung village electrification and fuel supply (K100,000), Wutung border post office (K50,000), and Wutung water supply reticulation improvement (K50,000).
Another new project to be funded is a 30km road link between Kiunga in North Fly electorate of Western province and Indonesia’s rubber-producing Mindiptana which could provide the Kiunga rubber factory with much-needed raw materials which local growers could not supply.
At present, the factory is operating below capacity while Mindiptana producers have to transport their produce down river to Merauke, hundreds of kilometres to the south.
The National understands that the Minister for Inter-Government Relations, Job Pomat, has written to Minister Pruaitch and Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Abal highlighting his department’s functions of border administration and refugee management, and asking for the release of the K20 million.
Mr Pruaitch confirmed last Thursday that border development is now directly under his ministry, and he is in charge of the funds.
Mr Pruaitch said several projects were now before the National Executive Council for approval and, when approved, the money already budgetted for will be released.
However, Provincial and Local Government Affairs officials are concerned that they may lose the K20 million to Consolidated Revenue if their projects do not get off the ground soon.
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