Gulf passes K40mil budget for next year

 By ABBIE COLLACO

THE Gulf government has passed its 2011 budget last Dec 15. 

Governor Havila Kavo, who is also chairman of finance and investments, said the K40,245,830 allocation included the total recurrent of K32,098,200.

He said this was an increase from this year and the development budget was an increase of K460,000 from this year’s allocation.

In addition, there was:

*The special support grant K4,505,000; 

*Members non-discretionary fund of K750,000; 

*Nothing for the provincial development improvement programme; and

*A new funding under national agricultural development plan K2,000,000.

All these  made up a total appropriation of K7,255,000.  

There was also a significant increase from the national government’s grants in next year’s budget. Particularly these include : 

*Transport and infrastructure got an increase by K857,700; 

*Health K614,800; 

*Division of agriculture and livestock by K2 million as grants from NADP funds; and 

*Other service delivery programmes by K600,200.

The projected internal revenue was a mere 2% drop which, Kavo said, was due to lack of receipts on the major provincial government.

Next year’s revenue estimates were reduced from K942,229 to K892,630.

Kavo said his government, in the last five months, gained significant support regardless of political instability to secure the best for the province.

Some of these achievements were the upgrading of the Kerema High School while the Ihu High School would reopen next year after it was closed five years ago.

He said in addition, the Belepa-Keouru-Petoe road would be reopened and the Kerema-Malalaua road would be upgraded.

Kavo said, within the last five months, he was proud to have been part of the revival of he Kaintiba and Kotidanga coffee projects through the local coffee growers association.

He said the budget for next year was handed down under the theme “good governance, capacity building, infrastructure and socio-economic development”. 

He added that  a detailed approach was taken for the break-up of the budget to comply with the Vision 2050, the PNG strategic development plan 2030, Gulf vision 2020, the Elk-Antelope liquefied natural gas project and the 18-month drought which was predicted by weather experts for  2012.