Focus of ENB budget on LLGs

EAST New Britain’s 2012 draft budget, which was expected to be formalised late last week, will be made up of provincial and local level government components.
It is expected to be 85% more than last year’s budget, with a shift towards addressing districts and LLGs.
That is expected to stimulate growth of the local economy and help address service delivery issues.
In a recent joint district priority and budget priority committee meeting, deputy provincial administrator policy and evaluation Levi Mano said there was a greater need to open up grey areas of Gazelle and Pomio districts through the provincial concept of corridor development to encourage economic activities and overall development.
He said resources, including personnel, were mobilised towards the hinterland of the two districts under the administration restructure to standardise development with already established parts of Kokopo and Rabaul.
Mano said the 2012 budget theme was all about boosting the local economy.
He said most of the major impact projects that were initialised in 2011 had been carried over to this year.
He appealed to councillors to contribute their healthy, established working relationships in their respective LLGs.