North Fly Open MP Queries Release of K350 Million Road Funds
NORTH-Fly Open MP Hon. James Donald has expressed concern over the release of K350 million in warrants, which was coincidentally released on January 10, when Port Moresby was ransacked.
According to leaked documents from Treasury and the Department of Finance, K350 million in Connect PNG warrants were released while many other critical funding await approval.
Further, documents have also revealed which companies are earmarked to receive the K350 million, with some familiar company names within Government circles on the list.
Mr Donald said: “I am greatly alarmed at the level of speed and attention the funding for paying specific contractors are getting under the so-called Connect PNG program.
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| James Donald |
“If it wasn’t for the actions of the whistleblower who also noticed the discrepancies inallocations, this large amount of state funding would have just disappeared in thin air without any knowledge from the general public.
“The timing is also a concern, as just days into the working year for public servants, the state is already taking care of certain contracts while other important funding allocations wait in vain.
”Us MPs who have resigned are no strangers to the tactics of Government, and we suspect the timing of these funds, the companies they are allocated, all the while our Parliament is set to return in just less than three weeks,” Mr Donald said.
Mr Donald also questioned why it takes important funding allocations months and weeks, numerous meetings with relevant ministers and calls and letters to secretaries just for funding to be released.
Mr Donald said: “Early December our universities were begging our government for their TESAS funding for 2023 and making numerous calls for the payment to be sorted before the start and acceptance of the 2024 academic year.
“Come early January, our universities were still waiting for their funding and most students are unaware of what the situation is.
“Not only our universities, but our health centers, hospitals, and districts always find ourselves waiting weeks after the dates our funding was meant to be remitted to respective accounts.”
Mr Donald said the defected MPs are familiar with the companies who are set to receive these monies and will be watching very closely how it is dispersed.
“It is amazing to see the list of roads on the leaked documents that are waiting for funding – as some have been waiting for months on end while certain roads under construction by certain companies in certain places are being fast tracked.”
“We will be maintaining close scrutiny of the management of funds in the coming 88weeks, and where we see fit, make relevant complaints with authorities, and test ICAC,” says Mr Donald.
The second term MP is the founder and leader of the People's Reform Party (PRP) and the Vice Minister for Mining and Border Issues who resigned from the Marape-Rosso government along with six other MPs.
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