Parties to receive K10,000 for each MP

 Political parties will receive K10,000 for each MP they have in parliament.

The money from central fund is to assist the 15 parties in parliament with their administrative activities and seven of them were presented cheques last Friday.

Registrar for Political Parties Alphonse Gelu, who presented the cheques with Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen, said the payments were usually done soon after March 31 each year but this time party officers did not respond in time.

Trawen said most of the parties were late in submitting their financial statements.

“It is very important that you meet the deadline that is stated clearly in the Organic Law. 

“The funding is K10,000 per member of parliament,” Gelu said.

Gelu said some parties may find that they did not get the funding intended because members moved from one party to another.

“The Organic Law states that once a member moves, the member must be a part of that party for at least six months and must be an active member of that political party before we can actually give funding to that party,” Gelu said.

Gelu said even if a member decided to shift to another party, then money would not be given until after he qualified in that party.

The seven political parties who received their funding were People’s Movement for Change Party, Our Development Party, United Resource Party, Papua New Guinea Party, New Generation Party, Stars Alliance Party and National Alliance Party. 

The other parties are expected to be  receive their cheques this week.