BY ALFRED PAGEPITU
GIZO
THE Western provincial government has convened its first meeting of the second Provincial Assembly which is currently underway at the Western Provincial capital town in Gizo, starting yesterday.
The house yesterday recapped on the minutes of the previous meeting, and received presentation from the Provincial Public Accounts Committee and extensively deliberated on the 2017/2018 Supplementary Appropriation (No 1) Bill in the presence of the Clerk to the Assembly, Kevin Paia and Provincial Speaker, Hon Richard Tekifono.
Premier Wayne Maepioh in his opening address pointed out that the executive government tries to maximise revenue receipts during the 2017/2018 fiscal year as indicated by revenue outturn of SBD$8,247,543 million against expenditure outturn of $7,760,675 million.
“Surplus of $486,868 is transferred to fund capital expenditure items as denoted in the budget document.
“The golden principle of balanced budget is adhered to in this regards and we spend what we earn, indeed we made surplus.
“We have come thus far through consultation/dialogue and perseverance.”
Maepioh said the progress prevailed because all of us have shouldered on the responsibility to progress the desires and the wishes of our people in Western province.
“Politically and administratively, together we have strived, to move this province forward with equal participation, inclusive decision making and wider consultation.
“The Western Provincial government continues to expand public resources for the purpose of planning, consultation and dialogue with important stakeholders, with the overall objective to deliver services to our people.”
He said that such expenditure are provided for under the appropriate ordinances and the management of such expenditure is provided for in the public finance management Act 2013 and the provincial financial management ordinances.
“If the need arises to increase budget supply, then these are prerequisite the legal tools to regularising the needs and my Executive government has done this through this supplementary appropriate Bill 2017/2018.”
