Government committed with budget, says Abel

PAST and present governments remain committed to every single element of the budget, Finance Minister Charles Abel, pictured, says.
Abel was responding to East Sepik Governor Allan Bird’s questions on non-payment of functional grants.
He told Parliament that he had fulfilled that commitment with 100 per cent funding for functional grants last year.
“That commitment remains, however it is up to the incoming Treasurer and the government to review the budget as to where we are,” Abel said.
“I remain confident that the budget can be fulfilled in totality, subject to everybody putting their heads together now and getting down to the hard work of making sure that those revenues do come in.
“Every element of the expenditure side can be fulfilled and that includes the functional grants of district and provincial services improvement programmes.
“There is an incoming government and a new front bench and new treasurer who will take the opportunity tomorrow to give some of the background on how the 2019 budget is performing.
“If everyone gets together and gets on with the business of the government and get that revenue in, we will be able fulfil all those expenditure commitments in the budget for the remaining six or seven months of the year.”
Abel also talked about some of the aspects of the revenue side of the budget that were lagging behind.