K10m funding reassured

The National Main Stories

By GYNNIE KERO
ALL MPs will receive the budgeted K10 million district services improvement programme (DSIP) funds regardless of them being in the Opposition, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says.
He gave that assurance when welcoming three MPs from the Opposition to Government.
O’Neill said the governing coalition had increased to 46 after Maprik MP John Simon (NA), Usino Bundi MP Jimmy Uguro (NA) and Western Governor Taboi Awi Yoto joined crossed from the Opposition.
He said the move by the three was to help stabilise Government for the next four years.
“Our policies have been consistent over the past years,” O’Neill said.
“The MPs have joined on their own free will despite speculations going around.
“I’m particularly disappointed with (yesterday’s) The National editorial without facts, these statements made that we have been discriminating members and electorates throughout the country for DSIP and PSIP funding is untrue and not factual.
“We (Government) have for the last six years, whether you are in Opposition or Government, paid DSIP fully to every MP in every single electorate in the country.
“I want to assure the country, as long as I am prime minister, I will not deny services to our people because of politics.
“It is important that our people continue to receive services in education, health and, of course, infrastructure building and that is what DSIP and PSIP do.
“To this date, we have already paid MPs from the Opposition their DSIP as well.
“As soon as funds become available as per the budgets, we need to deliver to everyone.
“But, of course, funding is an issue and it takes time to get there.
“The MPs joining us is because we have some solid policies.
“It’s no point changing policies every time a government changes or members or leaders change. It is important that free education continues to be delivered, free healthcare continues to be delivered.
“The MPs joining us give us further boost in stability and stability in policies, further boost in making sure how we deliver that.
“There is nothing to discriminate about. We will work together, even those in Opposition if they continue to provide constructive ideas as to how our country should be developed. We are quite happy to work through with them on those ideas.”