Holding back funds is Govt’s unfair political game

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Belden Namah … Govt marginalising voters

Holding back funds is Govt’s unfair political game

PORT MORESBY: Opposition Leader and Vanimo Green MP Belden Namah says the Government’s decision to withhold Service Improvement Programme (SIP) funds is unconstitutional and undemocratic.

“They think they are marginalising or suppressing those in the Opposition by doing that but all they are really doing is marginalising the people of our districts,” he said.

The issue was published by The National:

Govt criticised for holding funds

February 9, 2022The NationalNational

By LULU MAGINDE
OPPOSITION Leader and Vanimo Green MP Belden Namah says the Government’s decision to withhold Service Improvement Programme (SIP) funds is unconstitutional and undemocratic.
“They think they are marginalising or suppressing those in the Opposition by doing that but all they are really doing is marginalising the people of our districts,” he said.
“I have been in the Opposition since 2012.
“This practice of the Government not paying Opposition the cheques, for me and those who are with me like Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat and Kandrian-Gloucester MP Joseph Lelang, is not new.”
Speaking on behalf of Marat and Lelang, he claimed that they were getting the same treatment of being overlooked when former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill was in power and James Marape was then the Finance Minister.
“Provincial Services Improvement Programme (PSIP) and SIP funds are approved in the budget. So, when a budget is passed, it is law that everyone must be given these funds,” Namah said.
“This practice to withhold cheque payment is, therefore, unconstitutional and undemocratic.
“They’re doing the cultural payback system by not approving funding or not giving Opposition MPs the cheques when Government MPs have already received their K3 million for their districts,” Namah said.
He also noted that in the past, Opposition MPs only received between K6 million and K8 million a year instead of the full K10 million mandated by Government policy.
“Future governments must not continue this practice of suppressing the Opposition because SIP funds are not for their personal use but to be used for district projects.
“I feel sorry for the people of the affected districts because it is not about me not getting SIP.
“It is about the people we represent in our respective districts.”

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