PNG Foreign Affairs department employs cost cutting meassures over money woes

The number of officers serving at Papua New Guinea's foreign missions may be reduced as the Department of Foreign Affairs embarks on a cost-cutting measure, to ease financial constraints it is currently experiencing.

Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary, William Dihm, says the department's operating expenditure for overseas missions have been cut by K15 million, compared to its 2016 allocation.

Mr Dihm did not say how much was given last year, but he made it clear that the department is feeling the pain of this cut to its operational budget for 2017.

Despite this cut Mr Dihm says their aim is to make sure the department and overseas missions receive their legally appropriated allocations in full and on time each month or quarterly.

The acting secretary says his senior management team will be working closely with Minister's of Treasury, Finance and Foreign Affairs to find practical solutions to the current situation.

Some of the cost cutting measures the department will employ include cheaper office and rental accommodation, some disposal of excess vehicles and other assets, and a review of locally engaged staff.

Mr Dihm says the bottom line is for the Foreign Affairs Department to identify cheaper and cost effective ways of doing business on post.

NBC News/ PNG Today