THE Government will bring an estimated $50 million supplementary budget in the upcoming sitting of Parliament next month.
This is to allow Parliament to regularise the money, government spent under the contingency warrants, after it passed the $4.3 billion budget last December.
Ministry of Finance and Treasury, permanent secretary, Harry Kuma said this is part of the formality to regularise money spent by the government under the contingency warrants.
Mr Kuma said after the government passed the 2016 budget last year, it also gave power to the Minister of Finance to authorise the use of contingency warrant.
“The use of contingency warrant is cater for under the Public Finance Management Act and our national constitution.
“We can use contingency warrant for unforeseen circumstances and emergency situation,” he said.
Kuma said this is not a new spending but to regularised money spent after the 2016 budget was passed.
Furthermore, Kuma said the supplementary budget is still processed and yet to come before cabinet for deliberation.
The Solomon Star understands, the Opposition Group and Independent Group are preparing to question the government on the supplementary budget in the upcoming sitting of Parliament.
Moreover, current Minister of Finance and Treasury, Snyder Rini may not likely to table the budget because he is seeking medical attention at St Vincent Hospital in Sydney, Australia.
Minister of Development Planning and Aid Coordination, Danny Philip is currently the acting Minister of Finance.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
