Business leader queries use of K20 million earmaked for tourism

By JUNIOR UKAHA
THE East New Britain Chamber of Commerce and Industry wants to know how K20 million given to the provincial government in 2015 for tourism developoment in the province was used.
The query was among a number of issues raised by chamber president David Stein yesterday during an East New Britain Tourism Promotion Authority conference at the Gazelle International Hotel in Kokopo.
The event, organised by the authority, was to get stakeholders together to chart a way forward for tourism development in the province.
Stein said that while it was important for the provincial government and tourism body to seek funding to develop tourism, it was equally important that money given in the past for the purpose were fully accounted for.
“What happened to the K20 million given by the national Government to the East New Britain provincial government in 2015 for tourism development?” Stein asked. Some of these funds were diverted into projects that have nothing to do with tourism. The problem for all of us is how some of the money went missing.
“We can’t get more funding in here unless we are accountable for what’s been spent in the past.
“We have to account for money (spent) in the past in order to get money in the future.
“What I found extraordinary was that about K5 million of that K20 million was used on the Tokua Corridor Plan. but after paying for that plan, it (government) has built a sewerage pond right in the middle of it (corridor) in contravention of the plan where it paid K5 million for. The last thing we want is a sewerage plant in the middle of the airport and the town, and where our dolphin sanctuary is also located, which is a major tourism attraction.”
Stein said corruption was a big issue in the country and it was affecting all sectors, including tourism.
He said if greedy individuals kept on pocketing money meant for development, then the country and province would go nowhere.
“We’ve got to clean up our backyard,” Stein said.
“We’ve got to clean up our finances. If we can spend our money wisely and account for it, we can get help. We are not a model province now, but we can bring it back to the glory days.”
Stein said development partners like Australia, Asian Development Bank and the World Bank could help fund projects in the province but proper acquittals must be provided on how funds were used f.
Provincial administrator Wilson Matava, when contacted yesterday about the matter, said he would get officers from the tourism authority to respond to the claims raised by Stein.