New MPs told gov’t will pay for their hotel after election of PM
By ANDREW FANASIA
THE Goverment will not be responsible for bills of MPs who camp in hotels while lobbying to form the next government.
That’s according to Secretary to the Prime Minister (SPM) Dr Jimmy Rodgers, in a letter he sent to the Political Party Integrity Commissions Office (PPIC).
Acting Registrar of PPIC Nairy Alamu confirmed to the Solomon Star yesterday receiving the letter.
Rodgers said the government will only meet hotel bills of MPs after the election of the new prime minister.
Previously, newly elected MPs were normally taken into hotel camps when they arrived in Honiara from their constituencies as the parliamentarians lobby to form the next government.
And often, they left huge hotel bills behind which tax payers have to meet.
But this would no longer the case this round.
Rodgers said in the letter that MPs or their political parties will have to meet their own bills if they choose to take up camps in hotels.
Alamu further added that the government will only come in after the prime minister is elected and Cabinet ministers are appointed, or until the first sitting of Parliament.
She confirmed that her office has already advised all the political parties, including the newly independent members, about these important changes.
The Solomon Star was told that Rodgers also wrote separately to each hotel advising them the decision.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury has also written to all the hotels on the 29th March 2019 to advice them of these changes.
