IT appears impossible at this stage for the current Malaita Provincial Government to have a Provincial Public Account Committee (PPC) since it does not have the numbers required to form this important committee.
This was according to a report cited by this paper this week.
The report has it that the current Malaita Provincial Government is now seeking avenues to form a PPAC as of early this week.
The report stated that the failure to form a PPAC will affect the province as it will disqualify it from benefiting from the Provincial Capacity Development Fund as well as passing a budget.
It added that this same situation was experienced at the time of the former Suidani-led MARA Government, which resulted in it losing a high percentage of Provincial Capacity Development Fund.
“The last time this happened was when the Nonexecutive (now the Executive) resigned from PPAC and resulted in Malaita Province losing something in the rage of 80 percent funding from the PCDF scheme.
“It looks like the precedent set by the current executive when they were the Nonexecutive has come back to haunt them.” it stated.
Currently the Fini- led Government has the majority of 18 members. 17 members have already taken up their ministerial portfolios. This mean only one MPA in the Fini Government is an ordinary member and this MPA is likely to be the first to join the PPAC.
However, the Provincial Act requires a total number of seven MPAs or a majority of five MPAs to form a PPAC.
Meanwhile, A Malaita Province Assembly Officer said so far, two MPAs from the Nonexecutive have shown interest and are ready to join the PPAC.
They are Simon Simon Ke’ebo, MPA for Ward 27 and Alick Junior Ofo ofo, MPA for Ward 26.
The PPAC plays the crucial role of scrutinising provincial budgets.
By SOLOMON LOFANA
Solomon Star, Auki
