Official confirms budget on agenda

By HELEN TARAWA
THE 2017 supplementary budget is expected to be tabled by Treasurer Charles Abel when Parliament sits this afternoon, acting deputy clerk Basil Kambuliagen says.
He told The National that although government business was yet to confirm the order of the business, everyone was looking forward to the mini budget.
“We have not received any legislative programme from the government yet,” he said.
Kambuliagen said the financial plan was supplementary to the main budget so it must be tabled and put to the vote.
But Abel said the supplementary budget was likely to be tabled tomorrow (Wednesday).
Abel said today would be mostly occupied by Question Time.
Kambuliagen said the appointment of committee members was also likely to be conducted in this session.
There are 31 parliamentary committees to be appointed.
They are groups of MPs appointed by Parliament to consider, investigate and report on a particular matter which otherwise cannot be dealt with in Parliament.
The 31 committees consist of 17 permanent and 14 referral ones.
The committees hold meetings both private and public through briefings.
They conduct hearings with interested individuals and groups like the Non-Governmental Organisations and government agencies.