By Mike Puia
THE national government, through the Ministry of provincial Government and Institutional Straightening (MPGIS), will embark on a study to look at how to share revenue from resources among provinces.
Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela, revealed this when addressing Renbel’s 25th anniversary celebration at Tigoa, Renbel’s provincial centre, over the weekend.
Houenipwela said a ‘Revenue Sharing Scheme’ study will be conducted to study and formulate an appropriate formula to be applied in terms of revenue sharing.
He said this was one of the resolutions put to the national government by the provincial premiers after the Premiers Conference in Auki, Malaita’s provincial centre, last November.
He revealed the MPGIS will engage a ‘Revenue Sharing Scheme’ expert to conduct the study.
Houenipwela said he hopes the revenue sharing study will provide a policy initiative to be incorporated into the review of the Provincial Government Act.
He said he hopes the study find a way to get everyone to receive fair share of their resources.
“Our people have been sidelined when it comes to receiving a fair share of their resources. As such, this study will enable our Government to have a policy in place to address this issue,” Houenipwela said.
He said it is the wish of the government that services are effectively delivered and that people get maximum benefit from their own resources.
The Prime Minister said the government will need everybody’s support in the development of this key policy initiative.
In terms of legislative review, Houenipwela said Cabinet has already endorsed the continual work on the Provincial Government Act review and the Draft Federal Constitution.
Further consultation on the review of these reviews will be carried out later this year.
