Abel: DNPM was ‘cash cow’

 NATIONAL Planning and Monitoring Department has been described as a “cash cow” by its Minister Charles Abel.

He told Parliament on Friday that the department’s role in the past 10 years was that of a “clearing house” for millions of kina in unaccounted expenditure to individuals and political cronies.

“This obviously is not the role of DNPM and this is not how the public investment programme (PIP) should be designed,” Abel said in his quarterly ministerial report to parliament last Friday.

He said as one of the government’s central agencies, the department’s role was to set a long-term development path, design an investment programme and monitor adherence to these plans.

However, past managements have failed to fulfill this role and had turned the department into a cash cow that was milked of millions of kina in public funds by individuals and political cronies.

 “PIP funds should not be parked in large pools at a central agency for bidding purposes by all and sundry. This is wonderfully conducive to corruption and all manner of schemes,” Abel told the house.

“Development funds must and should be appropriated to the relevant executing agencies clearly articulated programs and outcomes.”

He added that development funds should not be given to private companies and individuals.

Abel said that under his leadership, Planning and Monitoring would refocus its role and strategies. 

He said the review of the Development Strategic Plan and the Medium Term Development Plan was currently underway and the revised plans would be incorporated into the 2014 development budget framework.

Abel said the output from this review should give a clear indication on the progress against the current MTDP and establish a report framework against the key statistics and variables that “we are measuring our progress in health, education, law and order, job creation and so forth against.”