Pruaitch slams cut in health budget

National

OPPOSITION Leader Patrick Pruaitch believes a alternate government would have given a better national Budget than the one announced by the government of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
Pruaitch said the O’Neill Government reduced funding in real terms for the health sector and dramatically slashed the necessary allocation for tuition fee free education, a clear sign that ongoing problems in both sectors have not been resolved.
“Nevertheless the 2019 national Budget brought down by the O’Neill Government has cut the health budget in real terms to K1,553.1 million, leading the Shadow Treasurer, Ian Ling-Stuckey, to describe this as a national disgrace,” Pruaitch said in a statement. Pruaitch said the national Budget provided ample proof the Government
had no interest in looking after the welfare of ordinary Papua New Guineans, shifting funds to inflated areas involving misappropriation.
He highlighted that:

  • Government revenue in 2019 increased by 12.1 per cent or K1.5 billion to K14.3 billion and a significant part of that increase should have gone to health, education and law and order;
  • Salaries and wages of government employees will rise by K385 million next year to K4.4 billion, having doubled in six years;
  • Capital expenditure for the Utilities Sector has increased by 93.3 per cent to K615.1 million in the 2019 budget with no attempt made to explain why such a big increase is needed;
  • The overall Capital Budget increased by 18.4 per cent to K5.5 billion.”

Pruaitch said tertiary students would have no difficulty adjusting the budget to ensure there was adequate funding for health and education without seriously affecting other priorities.