Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has today (21.11.24) dismissed claims by the Opposition that his government is withholding funds to districts and provinces represented by Members of Parliament who are in the Opposition.
The Prime Minister said as soon as Finance Department makes available printout of the funding, he would have it published for public scrutiny the distribution in service development funds of District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) and Provincial Services Improvement Program (PSIP).
Prime Minister Marape, in turn, criticised Members of the Opposition who have taken to the media to spread this misinformation for the sake of political mile- age, adding that these MPs were covering up their lack of service-delivery in their own districts and provinces under the guise of their public outcries.
He said, “This government does not weaponize the budget to discriminate against Members of Parliament.
“This Pangu-led Government knows our responsibility to the country. Since 2019, our budget use is clear evidence of how we distribute funding.
“All districts and provinces, whether they are in the Opposition or Government, receive their DSIP and PSIP. We support all provinces in their functional grant and monies for all Provincial Health Authorities.
“We allocate fairly to all. When cash flow is available, we remit the funds that we collect.”
PM Marape said Members in the Opposition take to social media to sensationalize government matters to get out political mileage yet have no courtesy to acknowledge Government when they receive these funds.
“Once these funds are delayed slightly, they go mouthing off to rally public sympathy but hardly will you see them acknowledge Government for the granting of these monies for their districts and provinces,” he said.
The Prime Minister said, since 2019, a large amount of funding has been transferred from Waigani under his administration to provinces and districts, yet local MPs and provincial governors are not held accountable for non-delivery of services in their districts and provinces.
“We have transferred an unprecedented amount of monies out from Waigani since 2019, yet I get all the blame for non-delivery of services on the ground.
“Next week, I will print out line by line, number by number, every fund transferred to the provinces and districts so people can see the monies going to MPs in Opposition and MPs in Government.
“As the Prime Minister, my expectation is that for the amount of money a district has received, an equal amount of development must take place on the ground in the districts and provinces. This is the same expectation our people have,” he said.
Citing an example, PM Marape said Milne Bay Governor Hon. Gordon Wesley’s request to Government for outstanding funds from the province’s oil palm shares has been honoured, regardless of where Governor Wesley sits.
“For Milne Bay’s oil palm shares, for example, we have transferred to the Milne Bay provincial government K10 million, as part of the outstanding funds, even if the Governor is in the Opposition. So no province with its MP in Opposition has missed out.
“Another example is the Tindua to Kware LLG bridge in Ialibu-Pangia district which has been completed and now in use.
“Pangu, as the party that birthed this country, works with everyone because these are all Papua New Guineans who are our people. We do not discriminate.
“For some projects, National Government delivers direct while for some funding, we support through provincial governments and districts as per the budget. They too must deliver.
“These leaders who play politics all the time on social media, are not at work. They camouflage their ineffectiveness using politics as a cover.
“The public must not be deceived and constituents must hold their MPs ac- countable for lack of services in their own districts or provinces,” said PM Marape.