By CHRISTOPHER YANDAWAI
FORMER Treasure and Member for Kavieng Hon. Ian Ling-Stuckey said the presentation of 2024 New Ireland Provincial Budget of K450 million to Prime Minister and Treasure, James Marape is lawful and in order.
He made this comment in response to New Ireland Provincial Government’s statement, describing the budget presentation as illegal as it did not go through established approval process of the Provincial Assembly.
On behalf of the New Ireland Provincial Government (NIPG), the budget was initially presented by Chief Executive Officer of Kavieng District Development Authority (KDDA) Mr. David Lens to PM Marape at the Manasupe House on February 28.
The budget presentation was made in the presence of officials from the Provincial Assembly, including Kavieng MP and Minister assisting the Prime Minister, Ian Ling-Stuckey.
PM Marape in his capacity as the Minister for Treasury, acknowledged and approved the budget in the presence of all parties.
The budget encompasses 13 Local Level Governments’ budgets from across New Ireland Province (NIP) including the two districts of Kavieng and Namatanai.
However, the NIPG disputed the budget and called on PM Marape to put the Budget submission on hold.
The NIPG’s call was to ensure proper consultation with the Provincial Executive Council and an audit into the expenditure of the two districts is completed.
The NIPG further went on cautioning the Member for Kavieng Ian Ling- Stuckey for by-passing the DDA Act and going straight to the Prime Minister to endorse what he has termed as a “13 in 1” Provincial Budget.
In his response, Ling-Stuckey told Sunday Bulletin that the Kavieng KDDA and Namatanai DDA, like all DDAs’ budgets throughout PNG, have always been approved by the Minister for Treasury as required by law.
He further stated that the NIPG have become a pest to the comprehensive programs and projects of KDDA.
The Kavieng MP said the New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan has betrayed the Marape-Rosso Government and has suddenly jumped ship to join the Opposition whose leaders he had also betrayed in 2019 and again in 2022.
“Now he is back in bed with them, the same people he labelled as corrupt and incompetent – a bit like himself.
“It’s similar to a village dog eating its own vomit.
“Sir J’s memory is fading faster than my 75hp engine, that he doesn’t know whether he is coming or going or whether he camps with the winners or losers.
“Age can be most unkind when it creates confusion in our leaders, so much so, that they become a pest in New Ireland,” the Kavieng MP said.
Meanwhile, an attempt made to get comments from the office of the Member for Namatanai and Minister for Civil Aviation, Hon. Walther Schnaubelt on the issue surrounding the budget presentation was unsuccessful.
