Funding hike queried

DEPUTY Opposition Leader Douglas Tomuriesa is questioning the Government where it will get the money to pay for its proposed K100 million funding per district over the next five years.
Marape announced on Monday that each district would be receiving K20 million a year over the next five years for development projects. The total is K100 million per district over five years. Tomuriesa, the Kiriwina-Goodenough MP, said Marape’s plan should be shelved until the economic situation improved.
“Yes, we (MPs) want more money for our districts but not at a time when economically we are struggling,” he said.
“No foreign exchange, no new industries opening, no pay rise for public servants, no employment for our citizens.
“Families are struggling to survive on a day-to-day basis, yet we make such announcement.
“(It) is like driving a nail into the hearts of our people.”
Tomuriesa said Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey recently said that the Budget would achieve the same result as that of the last three years, “to repair the economy”. “Is this (doubling of MPs’ funds) what you call economy budget repair?” he asked.
“This announcement by (Marape) is not in the Budget 2023 books.”
“So where is it coming from?
“Are we going to have another Supplementary Budget to include it into the books for funding?