By Loretta B Manele
Parliament should not be bogged down in a page-by-page consideration of the bricks, a document intended to guide the accountable offices to implement the budget allocations in their respective accounting heads.
Manasseh Sogavare, minister for finance and treasury voiced this during the first day of the Sine Die Motion which was on Wed 18th.
He said discussions on the consideration of bricks should be carried out and concluded by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
“Parliament says it should only be concerned about the recommendations made to it by the Public Accounts Committee”
Sogavare added that this is of course after PAC has scrutinized the various heads which are ministries, programs or departments and compare the amount of money allocated to these respective areas.
He emphasized that the important information for parliament is the recommendations from PAC.
“As a matter of fact, it is reasonable to conclude that the recommendations and all the issues that the Public Accounts Committee is concerned about in the appropriations hearing”
He stated that parliament should only be concerned about explaining policy intentions and voting the amounts assigned to the heads in the Bill, including consideration of any proposals to adjust the heads by the Public Accounts Committee, which should come in the form of motions.
Sogavare said there is still a certain consultation with the government hence it is his intention that the 2026 budget will be considered under the new procedures.
