Organic Law ‘not the 10 Commandments’

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Monday November 4th, 2013

 THE Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Governments is not the 10 Commandments and must be reviewed and amended as there are many loopholes that need improving, especially in the relationships between the three levels of governments.

Morobe deputy governor and chairman for lands and physical planning, Judas Nalau said this during the swearing in of the new 20-member provincial executive council at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium in Lae last Friday.

“The organic law is not the 10 Commandments and can be and needs to be reviewed and amended. In the past five years, funding into the districts did not achieve many things and the districts are not functioning as a government, bottom-up planning is only sweet talk but in reality it is not happening,” Nalau said.

The Jabem-Mape local level government president and son of former Morobe premier Sir Jerry Nalau, said another problem faced by the presidents was the rush from the provincial administration in the passage of the provincial budgets. 

“Often many of the presidents come from rural districts, local level governments and the villages and when in Tutumang for the budget session, the budgets are pushed down our throat in one day. This is wrong, give us a week because as a Tutumang member I must understand the budget and it must be given ample time to check and consult with professionals if need be,” he said.

He called on the provincial administration to put a screening and reporting process in place for the provincial budget.

“The provincial budget and its spending report must be done quarterly and reports provided to us, the members of Tutumang, should contain issues experienced,” Nalau said. 

“The people must know and the information must reach the people.”