By FRANCIS RODNEY PULU
THE Shadow Minister for Treasury, Douglas Tomuriesa has that stressed that the Government’s Relief Assistance Package of K590 million is inadequate and translates to a mere of K65 per person, per year or a very meaningless of 18 Toea per day when divided by the 9 million people of PNG.
He said that when highlighting the inefficiency of the Treasurer, Ian Lingstukcy in failing to bring the much needed legislation to Parliament for the K590 million.
“How is the Government going to ensure that these amounts will go down well to the ordinary people,” he said.
He added that the Government’s so call Housing Assistance Package relief is not helping families instead it is pushing and escalating law and order issues in the country.
“What is required of this budget is prudent management and strict adherence to strict budget expenditure framework and strong sound policy,” he added.
“And the Government has also been talking about Porgera Mine, Wafi Golpu, P’nyang has low laying fruits.
“When will these low laying fruits be picked and harvested so that employment in this country can begin to improve so that the economy and revenue can be strengthened.”
Tomuriesa added that the Treasurer has been hacking the K590 million of the so called cost of living Relief Assistance Package before the elections in March and yet has continuously failed to bring the enabling legislations to the floor of Parliament.
He said from the Supplementary Budget tabled mid this year there was no enabling legislation so, the K611 million Relief Package in the Supplementary Budget was supposed to have been postponed to January 2023.
“Was that all a real and serious government policy to assist our ordinary Papua New Guineans or just a plain election promise to show up numbers for elections,” he questioned.
