BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
WESTERN Provincial Government Assembly meeting has ended on a high note with members of both side of the house agreeing to support the ruling government with its development plans.
The spirit of cooperation was echoed from both side of the house – meaning Western Provincial is in a strong footing as they approach the next financial year 2021-2022.
Premier David Gina said his government appreciate and takes forward all the suggestion and ideas shared during the meeting.
He said important points raised during the course of the meeting will be part of his government’s priority programme.
Gina said criticism are very important in shaping the province with sound decision for positive outcomes in the future that his government welcomed all the criticism raised during the meeting.
In his statement when opening the Sine Die Motion on Wednesday, he said the Western Provincial Government is confident that completing the next financial year cooperation is needed from both side of the house.
Gina said the priority areas to fish in revenue to support the province’s business have already been identified with policies and strategies already in place to fulfil the task.
He said one of the priority is to enhance local revenue collection to improve the province’s revenue base.
“While we acknowledged that much remains to be done to increase our revenue collection, I can say that since the establishment of the Revenue Task Force, we have increased our local revenue in the past couples of years by more than 2million and this could have been more if not for the COVID-19,” Gina said.
He told those present that the revenue taskforce will revise and formulate its strategies and push for a better implementation to realize or exceed the province’s annual revenue forecast.
Gina acknowledged leaders for the passing of the budgets and at the same time reiterate the call for greater cooperation as Western Province journey into the next financial year.
