WESTERN Province Assembly has passed the $28,636,034 million budget after a long debate at the Imagination Island in Gizo on Tuesday.
Minister of Finance and Treasury, Hon. Ronnie Ghemu said the budget is set at a level that only reflects the actual revenue potential of the provincial government.
He said financial resources are allocated equitably based on divisional capacity, revenue and expenditure performance, policy priorities, regulatory functions, and other key considerations.
Furthermore, Minister Ghemu said the budget will be partly funded by the Fixed Service Grant from the National Government, along with external funding from United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), local sources, and World Bank funded Integrated Economic Development and Community Resilience (IEDCR) Project, amounts to $9,260,356.
This also include capital revenue grants for 2025 from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) administered Provincial Government Strengthening Project (PGSP), the UN Capital Development Fund managed Local Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL) and a carried forward PCDF balance of $14,154,649 from the previous fiscal year.
The Assembly meeting resumes on Friday after all the MPAs paid respect to the late body of Sir Late former Prime Minister, Francis Billy Hilly in Gizo on Thursday.
Late Hilly was transported by RSIPF Patrol Boat to Gizo. It arrived on Thursday morning where a tribute service was organised at the United Church in Gizo.
Following the service the body was transported to his home village of Koriovuku, Rannoggah for his final burial.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
