The 7th meeting of the 10th Parliament is again adjourned to give time for the Public Accounts Committee to continue scrutinizing the 2018 Appropriation Bill 2018.
This means Parliament will now resume its sitting Monday next week, 26th March.
Prime Minister, Hon. Rick Hounipwela adjourned Parliament for that particular reason as all papers required for the hearings are yet to be received by the committee.
The Committee commenced the hearings on Thursday 15th March to Friday 16th March, however, they could not continue with the hearings since all documents on the estimates reaches them late.
Prime Minister Rick Hou told PAC to be responsible in conducting the hearings without realizing that it is the budget department who do not submit all required papers on the 2018 estimates on time.
Given that situation the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Douglas Ete thanked the Prime Minister for giving PAC some more time.
Mr Ete wrote to the Prime Minister for an extended period of time since the papers for PAC which come from the budget department do not come as a whole but on a sporadic basis giving PAC the difficulty to see all the documents on time.
PAC Chair in his remarks in the chamber said they did not receive the development budget until the 12th March and they are yet to receive the teachers’ establishment.
These are very important papers and PAC cannot hold inquiries without them.
Meanwhile, all parties agree to the reasons for adjournment, thus Parliament is adjourned to 26th March.
The 2018 Appropriation Bill 2018 went through the first reading yesterday Monday 19th March and was set down for second reading.
PAC hearings are expected to end this week and hopefully the appropriation Bill will go to second reading to committee stage and third reading at the resumption of the house on the 26th.
– Parliament Media
