BY KHAMA LINCOLN
ISLES MEDIA FREELANCE REPORTER IN GIZO
WESTERN Provincial Government is looking forward to gather provincial leaders ready for upcoming Assembly.
Premier Hon. Christian Mesepitu said, Assembly meeting is scheduled to convene on 22 march this year to deliberate and approve the 2022/2023 financial year budget, development plan.
“We will call on assembly members living around western province, and those in Honiara, we will try and get permission from oversight committee to send them back on any flight or any ship,” he said. “We will apply for their exemption to follow protocols of travelling requirements.”
“Two Western Province MPAs are in Honiara as well as the Speaker of the Assembly, rest are in the province while less than ten are in Gizo.”
“If the travel restriction doesn’t allow them to come over, then at least we have 14 to form a quorum so that we can sit for the assembly meeting to pass the budget for the next financial year.”
He said, all MPAs must complete their vaccination prior to the assembly meeting, and we will go through tests as well. The meeting will be different from other sittings as it will be held only for three days, and all COVID measures will apply.
“Not everyone as usual will be allowed to attend meeting, only Head of Departments will join the MPAs, because we require space for distancing.”
He said, budget development is on process at provincial level with the Provincial Planning Development Committee and after that will go through the executive.
“The executive meeting will happen on the 1st of March to go through the budget on matters relating to development plan. The executive will deliberate on any changes, if not, will go straight to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), to scrutinize it and make recommendations. The budget report will be table in the upcoming Assembly, to be passed and implemented for the next financial year.”
Recently, the supervising Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) Stanley Pirione has advised Provincial Secretaries through a circular dated 4th February 2022 on measures to consider when formulating Budgets as the country is facing the pandemic.
The Subject of the circular is, “COVID-19 and its impact on Provincial Government Planning and Budgeting Processes 2022/23.
PS Pirione stated that “with more data showing gradual spread of COVID-19 in the provincial centers and into the communities, I am obliged to provide additional guidance in the preparations leading to 2022/23 budgets and work plan formulations for appropriation.”
Some of the guidelines stated by Pirione, amongst others are.
“Officers and MPAs who are not vaccinated should no longer be allowed to enter provincial premises.
“This instruction should be applied with immediate effect. The PSs should make the necessary preparations by following PDOC/NDMO guidelines.
“Provincial Secretaries must make immediate arrangements to get everyone tested. Anyone tested positive should not come into the office until subsequent test shows negative results.
“Members of the executive should reduce executive meetings or use mobile phones to meet and agree on issues. The PSs should do the minutes for the executive.” The Circular advised.
