Call to take decisive action

Letters

THE State’s liability against court order claims have reached a new record level.
The Finance and Treasury Department’s failure to take decisive actions, to pay out court order claims, have resulted in increased millions of kina owed by the State.
Apparently, it has become a regular occurrence at the Finance Department, where certain officials have colluded and diverted funds specifically for court orders, to settle other claims.
Complaints were raised on instances of deliberate hijacking and frustrating of the administrative processes by officials, to entice kickbacks and bribes, thus compromising the standard procedures.
The State’s allocation of K10 million per month to settle court order claims often at times are not used in its intended purposes due to systematic nepotism and corrupt practices that exists at the Finance Department.
Currently, based on court evidence available, there is this adjoining court order claims totalling K89.63 million against the State, which have not been settled since 2010.
The eight per cent interests of K7.17 million per annum, has now accumulated to a staggering K64.53 million in a nine year period.
Apparently, in 2018 the K89.63 million court order claims against the State, went before the National Executive Council (NEC).
The NEC had directed the Treasury and Finance departments to settle the K89.63 million court order claims, under NEC Gazetted Decision # 43/2018.
Essentially, NEC gave its endorsement for the Treasury and Finance Department, to settle the claims within a two year period (2018 and 2019), which is still pending.
This multi-million kina court order claim against the State, had not being discussed openly in the public domain, thus, the Finance and Treasury departments are not placed in the spot light.
The claimants/plaintiffs, whom are all redundant members of the old political systems of government, continues to wait patiently for the State to settle the court order claims.
The lack of action by the Finance and Treasury department, to settle the claims, is causing the State’s liability to significantly increase, and contravened the NEC Decision # 43/2018, which authorised specific directives as per the court orders of 2010.
Essentially, it is of paramount importance for the Finance and Treasury departments, to display highest standard best practice, in managing the financial affairs of the State.
This include taking decisive actions to reduce costs in millions, which the State cannot afford to lose, at this present tough economic times.

Hunters Tok Stret, BP