THE current Western Provincial Government (WPG) under the leadership of Premier Billy Veo has been criticised for not implementing some of the programmes and projects earmarked for this financial year.
Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) for MPA of Ward 16 Nusa Roviana Jeffrey Wickham raised his concern on Day 3 of the Full Assembly meeting in Gizo this week.
On Wednesday night, the Assembly went through the budget estimates and allocations for some of the projects for the 2023/2024 financial year.
When the Speaker read out the provisional budget allocation clause by clause during the Committee of Supply stage, some of the projects reappeared in the budget because they were not completed.
And the MPA for Ward 16 raised his concern over the non-implementation of some of the earmarked projects and cited the Kukudu Bridge Project on Kolombangara and a new Youth Centre worth $3million allocated for Western Province to be built in Gizo as examples.
The national government through the Ministry of Women, Youth and Childrens Affairs is supporting the Youth Centre Project. Funds for the project was believed to have been already transferred to the Western Provincial Government.
“These are some of the projects which were never implemented this year by the government,” MPA Wickham emphasised.
He therefore cautioned the WPG to work hard and achieve its programmes and projects as outlined in the budget for this financial year.
In the latest budget, a number of projects were included and there were questions as to whether some of these activities can be achieved within the remaining months of this financial year which ends in March 2024.
By MOFFAT MAMU
