Opposition members not getting full funding, says Maru

OPPOSITION MPs have received only a fraction of their district and provincial service improvement programme (SIP) funds, according Yangoru-Saussia MP Richard Maru.
Maru, the deputy leader of the People’s National Congress Party, claimed that the Government was holding back district support funds.
“People in remote and rural communities are suffering because the Government is using DSIP and PSIP as a way to apply political pressure,” he said.
“These funds are specifically allocated to deliver services to grassroots people, and are particularly important when Government does not perform its primary functions.
“There has never been a more important time for districts and provinces to (meet) the urgent needs of our people who are already suffering because of the national economic collapse.”
He accused the Government of “doing everything it can to hold on to MPs they know are looking to break away” from the coalition.
He said some MPs in the Government coalition had been threatened that they would not be paid the SIP funds if they broke away.
“As such, Opposition members have only received a fraction of allocated DSIP and PSIP funds as the government plays politics with people’s lives,” Maru said.
No comment could be obtained from Government yesterday.